Cu Liu Ji
(Chinese chicken in vinegar sauce)
Image by Romain Guy
Cu liu ji is a popular stir fry from the area around Beijing. The vinegar adds a pleasant pungency without being overwhelming.
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- Egg white -- 1
- Cornstarch -- 1 tablespoon
- Salt -- 1/2 teaspoon
- Chicken breast, boneless, skinless and cut into cubes -- 1 pound
- Water or stock -- 1/2 cup
- Rice wine vinegar -- 1/2 cup
- Soy sauce -- 1/4 cup
- Rice wine -- 2 tablespoons
- Cornstarch -- 1 tablespoon
- Salt -- to taste
- Oil -- 1/4 cup
- Onion, chopped -- 1
- Garlic, minced -- 2 or 3 cloves
- Ginger, minced -- 2 or 3 slices
- Bamboo shoots, chopped -- 1/2 cup
Method
- In a bowl, beat together the egg white, cornstarch and salt. Stir in chicken and set aside.
- In another bowl, mix together the water or stock, vinegar, soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch and salt. Adjust seasonings to taste and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over high flame. Add the chicken and stir fry until the chicken is just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to bowl.
- Add a little more oil to the wok or pot if needed and stir fry the onion, garlic and ginger for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bamboo shoots, return the chicken and stir fry to heat through, another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, give the sauce a big stir and stir it into the chicken. Simmer to thicken the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve with steamed rice.
Cu Liu Ji Variations
- Substitute 4 to 6 chopped scallions for the onion.
- Try using water chestnuts in place of the bamboo shoots.