INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Note: Chicken s/b carefully trimmed of membranes, cartilage & fat. If
starting with skin-on bone-in chicken breast you need a 1 pound 6 to  8
oz. breast to equal the 3/4 lb. cleaned meat.  Slicing & marinating the
chicken: Spread meat flat on a cutting  surface & cut it into 1-inch
squares. Holding your knife parellel to  the board, cut the thickest
squares in half through the middle so  that the pieces are of a
relatively even thickness and will cook to  doneness at the same time.
Blend chicken marinade ingredients until  smooth & thick in the work
bowl of a food processor fitted with the  steel balde or in a blender.
Process for a full 30-60 seconds to  achieve a rich consistency.
Combine the chicken & marinade in a small  bowl, stirring with your
fingers to coat & separate each slice. Seal  airtight and refrigerate
for 6-8 hours or up to 1 1/2 days, to permit  the chicken to absorb the
marinade. The longer it marinates, the more  tender & flavorful it will
be.  Other preparations: Slice zucchini into 1/4-inch thick rounds.
Slice  carrots into diagonal coins 1/8-inch thick. Sliced, the
vegetables  may be sealed & refrigerated in an airtight plastic bag for
several  hours before stir-frying.  Mince ginger and garlic in the dry
work bowl of a food processor  fitted with the steel knife. Add the
black beans, then process with  one or two on-off turns to chop them
coarsely. Alternatively, mince &  chop the ingredients by hand. Set
aside on a small saucer with the  chili flakes (chili flakes on the
side). If you are working in  advance, seal the saucer airtight and
refrigerate.  Combine the stock, soy, wine, vinegar and sugar in a
small bowl. This  may be done hours ahead & the liquids left at room
temp. or  refrigerated.  Velveting the chicken: About 10-15 minutes in
advance of serving,  velvet the chicken in water or oil. Directions for
both follow, here  also are Barbara Tropp's notes re. velveting (why
bother &  differences in results using each method):  Blanching cut &
specially marinated chicken in oil or water prior to  stir-frying is a
technique common to Chinese restaurant kitchens. The  20-second bath
tenderizes the chicken remarkably, hence the process  has been dubbed
"velveting" in English. Velveted chicken is  half-cooked, will not
stick to the pan, and needs almost no oil whn  stir-fried. Therefore
the resulting dish is grease-free and done in a  flash. It is an
absolutely distinctive & practical method, well worth  adapting at
home. Oil-velveted chicken is firm & plush;  water-velveted chicken is
soft & bouncy. The oil texture has great  character, while the water
process is attractively easy & clean.  Choose the one that suits you
best. ADDITIONAL CAVEAT FROM BT: You  MUST use fresh (not frozen)
chicken for velveting. Frozen chicken  will not work. The plush texture
that is the signal beauty of  velveting cannot be had with chicken that
has been frozen.  Velveting in oil: Have the chicken, a large chinese
mesh spoon or  large heatproof strainer to retrieve the chicken from
the oil, and a  bowl in which the spoon or sieve can rest & allow the
chicken to  drain alongside your stovetop. Heat a wok or deep, heavy
skillet over  high heat until hot. Add the oil & heat to the slow-fry
stage, 275  degrees F. on a deep-fry  continued in part 2

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