Marilyn Martin's Recipe

Hong Kong Stir Fry Traditional

Category: Recipes

Debone two chicken thighs (they are juicier than breast) and chop the meat into 1-inch cubes; discard bones. Don’t get too fanatical about the shape or size — the point is to chop them so the meat cooks quickly. Set aside in a metal bowl.

Grab about a pound of green veg and chop into one-inch pieces. In the US they sell asparagus in the supermarket with a purple rubber band; that’s about the right amount. In Hong Kong I’d buy a catty or so of bok choi. Set aside.

De-seed and chop one red bell pepper into thin batons. Set aside. (You need a number of containers for this recipe. Clutters the counter, but it’s necessary. You’ll see in a minute.)

Smash and peel three cloves garlic. Chop one bird’s eye chilli into rounds. Optional but very much recommended: A thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped coarsely. Put all three together in a small bowl.

In a measuring cup, combine 1/3 c chicken stock (or water, if you can’t be bothered), juice from half a lemon, three tablespoons oyster sauce, one tablespoon soy sauce. Stir.

Heat up the wok and slosh in some canola or vegetable oil. When it’s hot — really hot, as in you think your eyebrows will get singed — toss in the chicken and stir-fry rapidly until the meat turns white. Quickly drain meat and return to the metal bowl; pour in the contents of the measuring cup. Leave to soak.

The wok should be sizzling in a menacing way right now. Stir-frying is all about fear and timing. That’s why you want to make sure all the ingredients are ready so you can cook everything damn quick and run away.

Add just a whisper more oil; toss in the garlic, chili and ginger. After a second or two, dump in the green veg, stir until it turns a bright emerald. Add the bell pepper after a minute. Stir madly for a minute or two; add the chicken marinating in the sauce, stir some more. Cover wok so the whole mixture can steam.

Mix a bit of cornstarch in a teaspoon of water. Get some sesame oil ready.

Uncover the wok after a few minutes, check if the chicken is tender and the veg is cooked yet crisp. Turn off the heat; stir in the cornstarched water to thicken the sauce. Add a tiny drizzle of sesame oil. Stir and serve.