Cuisine Featured: Chinese
The Melting Pot section is where we have placed recipes for cuisines brought to America by the many immigrants to our shores. Over the years these cuisines have been Americanized, i.e., most viewers of our site have probably been exposed to many of these cuisines, either via the dining-out route or, perhaps, directly within our own families due to the multi-ethnic makeup therein. As an example of this multi-ethnicity within a single family, I can cite my own case-- My family consists of the following ethnicities: English, Irish, Scottish, German, Polish and Greek. Is it any wonder then that America is called the Melting Pot?
At the bottom of this page, you will have an opportunity to E-mail us and give us your thoughts on this page. We encourage this. After all, we will be tailoring this "Cooking Around the World" series according to the wishes of our viewers.
2 medium-sized pineapples, or 2 tsp salt
substitute 4 c canned unsweetened 2 eggs, lightly beaten
pineapple chunks, drained 2 whole chicken breasts (about
½ c chicken stock, fresh or canned 1 pound each), skinned, boned
1 c water-chestnut flour, or and cut into ½-inch cubes
substitute ½ c cornstarch combined Vegetable oil for deep frying
with ½ c all-purpose flour
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Cut the fresh pineapple in half lengthwise and, with a small, sharp knife,
cut the fruit away from the sides and bottom of the skin. Remove the fruit
from the shells, leaving the pineapple shells intact. Slice the fruit into
½-inch pieces, and set the fruit and shells aside.In a large mixing bowl, combine ½ c of chicken stock, the water-chestnut flour (or combined cornstarch and flour), salt and eggs. Beat vigorously with a fork or wire whisk until the batter is well combined.
Preheat the oven to 250°. Pour vegetable oil into a 10- to 12-inch skillet or wok to a depth of 1 inch. Set over high heat until the oil almost begins to smoke, or reaches 375° on a deep-frying thermometer. Drop the chicken and pineapple pieces into the batter and stir until they are thoroughly coated. Lower half of the coated pieces into the hot fat, a few at a time. Fry for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring from time to time to prevent the chicken and pineapple from sticking together. When they are crisp and golden brown, transfer them with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and keep them warm in the low oven while you fry the remaining pieces. Add these to the first batch in the oven.
2 T vegetable oil ¼-inch thick
1 tsp finely chopped garlic 1 c chicken stock, fresh or canned
2 large green bell peppers, seeded, ½ c red wine vinegar
deribbed and cut into ½-inch ½ c sugar
squares 2 T soy sauce
2 carrots, scraped and sliced into 2 T cornstarch dissolved in ¼ c of
2-inch strips, ¼-inch wide and chicken stock or water
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Pour off any oil remaining in the pan in which you fried the chicken and
pineapple pieces and, in its place, pour in the 2 T of fresh oil. Stir in
the garlic, then add the green pepper squares and carrot strips. Stirring
constantly, cook over moderate heat for 3 or 4 minutes. Do not overcook; the
vegetables should remain crisp and brightly colored. Pour in 1 c of chicken
stock and the wine vinegar, sugar and soy sauce, and bring to a boil. Boil
rapidly for about 1 minute, or until the sugar has thoroughly dissolved.
Quickly stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine it and stir it into the pan.
Cook for a minute more, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick and
clear.Place each of the pineapple shells on a serving plate and fill them evenly with the fried chicken and pineapple. Pour the vegetable sauce over the shells and serve. Or, if you have used canned pineapple, arrange the chicken and pineapple on a heated platter, and cover with the sauce. Serves 4.
