On SeriousEats.com I came across a recipe for Dry Fried Chicken The Best Buttermilk-Brined Southern Fried Chicken Recipe. Stir fry diced chicken with serious sichuan flavors (sichuan peppers, sichuan peppercorns, chinese chili bean paste.) The name is a misnomer: not coated chicken, not deep fried. Called dry fried b/c you first cook the moisture out of the chicken, and continue a while longer thus slightly drying out the chicken. I think the process caramelizes the chicken and infuses flavor.
This was really good!!! Can be made in about 20-25 minutes, start to finish! Seriously spicy without being too hot. Reminds me something I’d get in China; something you expect to get at an exceptional restaurant(in Shanghai or maybe Yunnan) and not at home.
Whole Sichuan peppercorns gave an interesting note. If you go to Asian grocery store ask for the Sichuan peppercorns but they will likely be labeled “Wild Peppers” or Dried Wild Pepper; they look dark brown; smaller and lighter in color than black peppercorns. The Shaoxing rice wine can be found at Asian store. Well worth a bit of trouble to find the Asian ingredients which will provide you with enough to make this many times with the necessary regular grocery store foods.
I think celery is looking good in the metro… now !! I have noticed, its meaty and will stand up well, with a quick cook and have its crunchy texture and not woody /stringy
I wish my wife liked spicier food. This sounds great to me, but it would probably be a little too spicy for her. Most Kung Pao chicken is way too hot for her.
I have to admit I am intrigued by this recipe. I was trying to figure out how to “spell” it in Chinese.
At any rate, I wonder what the different peppercorns are that you found. Sometimes they are sold without the husk. The wiki lays it out pretty clearly.
The traditional way is not complicated, it’s actually more logical than the “modern” simplified system. Simplified is kind of ugly too. It’s sad that most likely the simplified writing system will dominate and the traditional will fade away except in academia.
Frank,
Finding Sichuan peppercorns was the most difficult part of the dish. The Asian grocer manager steered me the right way and said that US customs will not allow “Sichuan peppercorns” labeled as such to be imported, but if they are labeled otherwise then they allow it. As mentioned, mine are labeled Dried Wild Peppers. I used them husk and all whereas the wiki article says to use only the husks since the tiny seeds can be gritty.
We’re having people over this week and serving this; can’t wait! btw, some cheap red wine went surprisingly well with it.
Old news. The importation of Sichuan peppercorns was prohibited for several years in an attempt to arrest citrus blight. The import ban was lifted two (?) years or so ago, and they are readily available in the marketplace
Old news. The importation of Sichuan peppercorns was prohibited for several years in an attempt to arrest citrus blight. The import ban was lifted two (?) years or so ago, and they are readily available in the marketplace
David you are correct, ban was lifted a few years ago if they heat treat to 160f.
Yet at two Asian stores I went to these are still not labeled as Sichuan nor Szechuan Peppercorns and the staff, not knowing the difference, will try to give you peppercorns (black). Confusing.
[quote=“Frank Hronek”]
Old news. The importation of Sichuan peppercorns was prohibited for several years in an attempt to arrest citrus blight. The import ban was lifted two (?) years or so ago, and they are readily available in the marketplace
David you are correct, ban was lifted a few years ago if they heat treat to 160f.
Yet at two Asian stores I went to these are still not labeled as Sichuan nor Szechuan Peppercorns and the staff, not knowing the difference, will try to give you peppercorns (black). Confusing.
Sadly “Asian” grocery stores in non-Asian communities in the US are owned and staffed by non-Chinese so one will often not receive the greatest of help regarding Chinese ingredients.
Chinese people don’t call them “Sichuan peppercorns” in Mandarin, they just call them “hua-jiao” (hwa-jow). So it makes sense if the label doesn’t specify it as such. Sometimes the importer will specify “Sichuan peppercorns” on a sticker or sub-label. So even if you ask a Chinese person, you may get a confused look when asking Sichuan peppercorns and you’ll just get led to black or white pepper. Technically, huajiao isn’t even a pepper…
Now that I conquered Dry-Fried Chicken, my next venture is Laonai Yangyu aka “Grandma’s potatoes”, a Yunnan dish I had in Shanghai. Our host took us to a particular restaurant because these potatoes were on the menu.
When I tasted the dry fried chicken it reminded me of those potatoes; both have chili and green onion. An article about Grandma’s Potatoes says Sichuan pepper (huajiao 花椒) is sometimes used. I’m thinking they were used in the potato dish.
Recipe:Recipe: Laonai Yangyu - "Grandma's potatoes" | GoKunming
I went to a local Asian grocery store, and I asked for Sichuan pepper. The writing on the package is similar to Frank Deis’ modern and simplified version but the first word is more like 3 vertical lines, with the first one slightly “j” shaped. The English writing says red pepper corn.
