Pan-Fried Chicken Patties
Ingredients
Main Ingredients and Seasonings:
- Chicken breast meat (cleaned): 150 grams
- Egg white: 1
- Cooked glutinous rice paste: 50 grams
- Wet starch: 100 grams
- Pork fat (suet): 150 grams
- Diced water chestnut: 50 grams
- Fine salt: 3 grams
- Sichuan pepper salt: 3 grams
- Shaoxing wine: 10 grams (approximately 150 grams used)
- Shredded green onion: 2.5 grams
- Shredded ginger: 2.5 grams
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG): 1 gram
- Peanut oil: 250 grams
Cooking Method
- Remove tendons and membranes from the chicken breast meat, then chop it together with pork fat (suet) into a paste. Place in a bowl and add egg white, wet starch, diced water chestnut, cooked glutinous rice paste, Shaoxing wine, MSG, and mix well to make the filling.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add a small amount of peanut oil. Form the filling into 18 walnut-sized balls and arrange them into a circular pattern with 7 on the inside and 11 on the outside. Fry in the oil until one side turns golden brown, then drain excess oil. Flip the chicken patties, add more oil, and fry the other side until golden brown. Sprinkle shredded green onion and ginger over the patties to release fragrance. Remove from the oil, drain, and arrange on a plate. Serve with Sichuan pepper salt on the side.
Key Techniques
- The “Pan-Fried Chicken Patties” must be thoroughly cooked and fragrant.
- The amount of oil used for frying should not exceed the main ingredients. Add oil as needed during frying and gently shake the pan to prevent sticking and ensure even browning.
- Adding egg and wet starch to the filling helps bind the chicken patties together during frying.
- Preheat the frying pan before adding oil. Brush the pan with cool oil before adding the main ingredients to prevent sticking.
- Flatten the balls gently with the back of a spoon while frying to form the chicken patties. Lift the pan off the heat intermittently to adjust the temperature and ensure the patties cook evenly inside.
Flavor Characteristics
“Pan-Frying” is a traditional cooking technique in Henan cuisine, with a history dating back to the Northern Song Dynasty, featuring various pan-fried dishes like fish, meat, and pigeon. “Pan-Fried Chicken Patties” emphasize skillful cooking techniques, especially the “big flip,” ensuring they achieve a golden-brown color and a crispy exterior while remaining tender and flavorful inside. Henan chefs uphold technical standards such as “drumming sound, golden color, crispy outside, tender inside,” ensuring the patties retain their shape and characteristic crispy, tender, fresh, and fragrant qualities.
