Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for sweet and sour chicken
or pork? This issue I have is finding a batter that will give that
crunchy crust like you would get at any Chinese Restaraunt. Thank you
..

Vince Poroke wrote:
> Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for sweet and sour chicken
> or pork? This issue I have is finding a batter that will give that
> crunchy crust like you would get at any Chinese Restaraunt. Thank you
> .

Perhaps a Tempura batter? The Japanese use it primarily for fish and
seafood, but it's light, crunchy and doesn't overwhelm the food.

1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. water
1 egg

Mix cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda in bowl. Stir in water and
egg and mix until smooth. Dip fish pieces, shrimp, or even raw vegetables in
batter and deep fry until crispy brown.

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in message >...
> Vince Poroke wrote:
> > Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for sweet and sour chicken
> > or pork? This issue I have is finding a batter that will give that
> > crunchy crust like you would get at any Chinese Restaraunt. Thank you
> > .
>
> Perhaps a Tempura batter? The Japanese use it primarily for fish and
> seafood, but it's light, crunchy and doesn't overwhelm the food.
>
> 1/4 c. cornstarch
> 1/2 tsp. baking powder
> 1/4 tsp. baking soda
> 1/2 c. water
> 1 egg
>
> Mix cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda in bowl. Stir in water and
> egg and mix until smooth. Dip fish pieces, shrimp, or even raw vegetables in
> batter and deep fry until crispy brown.
>
> Jill

Thank you. What temp for the oil?

"jmcquown" > wrote in
:

> Vince Poroke wrote:
>> Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for sweet and sour chicken
>> or pork? This issue I have is finding a batter that will give that
>> crunchy crust like you would get at any Chinese Restaraunt. Thank
>> you .
>
> Perhaps a Tempura batter? The Japanese use it primarily for fish and
> seafood, but it's light, crunchy and doesn't overwhelm the food.
>
> 1/4 c. cornstarch
> 1/2 tsp. baking powder
> 1/4 tsp. baking soda
> 1/2 c. water
> 1 egg
>
> Mix cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda in bowl. Stir in water
> and egg and mix until smooth. Dip fish pieces, shrimp, or even raw
> vegetables in batter and deep fry until crispy brown.
>
> Jill
>
>
>

I really don't have a problem with this recipe...It works well. The
japanese have been making Tempura for a long long time...Cornstarch is from
corn (of course), which is a new world veggie. So wouldn't 1/4 cup rice
flour be better or more applicable than 1/4 cup cornstarch?

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

Vince Poroke wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
> >...
>> Vince Poroke wrote:
>>> Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for sweet and sour chicken
>>> or pork? This issue I have is finding a batter that will give that
>>> crunchy crust like you would get at any Chinese Restaraunt. Thank
>>> you .
>>
>> Perhaps a Tempura batter? The Japanese use it primarily for fish and
>> seafood, but it's light, crunchy and doesn't overwhelm the food.
>>
>> 1/4 c. cornstarch
>> 1/2 tsp. baking powder
>> 1/4 tsp. baking soda
>> 1/2 c. water
>> 1 egg
>>
>> Mix cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda in bowl. Stir in
>> water and
>> egg and mix until smooth. Dip fish pieces, shrimp, or even raw
>> vegetables in
>> batter and deep fry until crispy brown.
>>
>> Jill
>
> Thank you. What temp for the oil?

About 375F, no more than 400F. Fry the chicken or pork in small batches and
let the oil come back up to temp in between.

Jill

hahabogus wrote:

> "jmcquown" > wrote in
> :=20
>=20
>>Vince Poroke wrote:
>>
>>>Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for sweet and sour chicken
>>>or pork? This issue I have is finding a batter that will give that
>>>crunchy crust like you would get at any Chinese Restaraunt. Thank
>>>you .
>>
>>Perhaps a Tempura batter? The Japanese use it primarily for fish and
>>seafood, but it's light, crunchy and doesn't overwhelm the food.
>>
>>1/4 c. cornstarch
>>1/2 tsp. baking powder
>>1/4 tsp. baking soda
>>1/2 c. water
>>1 egg
>>
>>Mix cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda in bowl. Stir in water
>>and egg and mix until smooth. Dip fish pieces, shrimp, or even raw
>>vegetables in batter and deep fry until crispy brown.
>>
>>Jill
>
> I really don't have a problem with this recipe...It works well. The=20
> japanese have been making Tempura for a long long time...

Actually, Portuguese traders taught the Japanese a lot of culinary=20
techniques. Deep frying, batter coating, sukiyaki, and others. They=20
even provided the word for "thank you." Obrigado was adapted to arigato.

The only problem with this batter is when it gets a sauce splashed on=20
it. The Chinese variants stand up to wetting better.

That little amount of batter won't go very far. Need more to do enough=20
for a couple adults. Everything should be very cold and just stirred=20
until *most* of the lumps are gone. A few lumps will be fine. The egg=20
will keep the coating tender, but if you double or triple the recipe,=20
I'd not just multiply the egg quantity. For a tripling, I'd use two eggs.=


Dip, let drip for a second and lower into the hot oil. Fry between=20
350=B0 and 375=B0. Drain on paper.

Pastorio

> Cornstarch is from=20
> corn (of course), which is a new world veggie. So wouldn't 1/4 cup rice=
=20
> flour be better or more applicable than 1/4 cup cornstarch?
>=20

"Bob (this one)" > wrote in message
...

>Actually, Portuguese traders taught the Japanese a lot of culinary
>techniques. Deep frying, batter coating, sukiyaki, and others. They
>even provided the word for "thank you." Obrigado was adapted to arigato.

While I cannot deny the Portuguese influence on Japanese cuisine and
language, that arigato is derived from obrigado is false. See
http://www.linguistlist.org/issues/12/12-1906.html (it's the best reference
I could find on-line--if I had my books handy I'd look for something a
little more scholarly). Also see
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/a....html#arigatou 7.9.1 and
also 7.9.2 for a list of some of the Japanese words which originated from
Portuguese (tempura and pan are two of the food ones).

>The only problem with this batter is when it gets a sauce splashed on
>it. The Chinese variants stand up to wetting better.

The tempura batter recipe posted is, in my opinion, far from suitable for
what the OP wants. He wants something he can use for sweet and sour
chicken/pork so a tempura batter, as you suggested, is problematic. Anyone
who has ever had Tendon will know that tempura gets quite soggy when
wet--especially if it has been sitting in the sauce for awhile.

My dad always used cornstarch. Pure cornstarch. He didn't even do the egg
dip thing--just dredged the chicken or pork in cornstarch (shaking off the
excess) and fried it. Turned out perfectly crispy every time. However, he
found that cornstarch in the US (at least the Northeast--New Hampshire,
specifically) did not work as well as cornstarch in Canada. The best
cornstarch for his frying technique (if you can call it that) is the type in
a light yellow box with a rooster on it. Even the stuff found in Winnipeg's
Chinatown (from the US, I think, in a bright yellow box--Argo?) did not work
well. The cornstarch I buy here in Japan works well, too, and I know some
restaurants here use cornstarch for their karaage (but they dip in egg
before dredging).

rona

--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

Rona Yuthasastrakosol wrote:

> "Bob (this one)" > wrote in message
> ...
>=20
>>Actually, Portuguese traders taught the Japanese a lot of culinary
>>techniques. Deep frying, batter coating, sukiyaki, and others. They
>>even provided the word for "thank you." Obrigado was adapted to arigato=
=2E
>
> While I cannot deny the Portuguese influence on Japanese cuisine and
> language, that arigato is derived from obrigado is false. See
> http://www.linguistlist.org/issues/12/12-1906.html (it's the best refer=
ence
> I could find on-line--if I had my books handy I'd look for something a
> little more scholarly). Also see
> http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/a....html#arigatou 7.9.1 a=
nd
> also 7.9.2 for a list of some of the Japanese words which originated fr=
om
> Portuguese (tempura and pan are two of the food ones).

Thanks. Good references. Now I have to change my mind. Don't you just=20
hate it when that happens... <g> I've been wrong about that for a lot=20
of years.

>>The only problem with this batter is when it gets a sauce splashed on
>>it. The Chinese variants stand up to wetting better.
>=20
> The tempura batter recipe posted is, in my opinion, far from suitable f=
or
> what the OP wants. He wants something he can use for sweet and sour
> chicken/pork so a tempura batter, as you suggested, is problematic. An=
yone
> who has ever had Tendon will know that tempura gets quite soggy when
> wet--especially if it has been sitting in the sauce for awhile.

Understood. My suggestions were merely to make it a bit more=20
substantial without making it a fussy exercise.

When I'm doing a sauce-moistened fried food that's cut into small=20
pieces, I marinate the pieces to be fried with a bit of salt and some=20
thin soy. After a while, I add some beaten egg and toss to coat well.=20
Then I dredge in cornstarch and rice flour (70-30) to coat very fully.=20
Into oil 350=B0-365=B0F. The pieces can stick together, so I don't crowd =

the fryer.

For a large item, like a whole fish, I season and let it permeate the=20
fish. Then brush on beaten egg and sift corn starch over very=20
liberally, pressing it onto the surface and into the cuts I've made in=20
the flesh. Turn it over and repeat.

Both these approaches can give a crust that can stand up to saucing=20
for a while. Any crust will eventually surrender to the moisture in=20
the sauce, I think.

> My dad always used cornstarch. Pure cornstarch. He didn't even do th=
e egg
> dip thing--just dredged the chicken or pork in cornstarch (shaking off =
the
> excess) and fried it. Turned out perfectly crispy every time. However=
, he
> found that cornstarch in the US (at least the Northeast--New Hampshire,=

> specifically) did not work as well as cornstarch in Canada. The best
> cornstarch for his frying technique (if you can call it that) is the ty=
pe in
> a light yellow box with a rooster on it. Even the stuff found in Winni=
peg's
> Chinatown (from the US, I think, in a bright yellow box--Argo?) did not=
work
> well. The cornstarch I buy here in Japan works well, too, and I know s=
ome
> restaurants here use cornstarch for their karaage (but they dip in egg
> before dredging).

Interesting, that difference in the starches. I wasn't aware of that=20
situation. I've experimented with other ones like tapioca, potato,=20
etc., as well as some different commercial corn starches that were=20
modified (pre-cooked, acidified, whatever...). They all had slightly=20
different characteristics, but were generally in the range of=20
acceptability. Time for more research.

Pastorio

"Bob (this one)" > wrote in message
...


>Thanks. Good references. Now I have to change my mind. Don't you just
>hate it when that happens... <g> I've been wrong about that for a lot
>of years.

If it makes you feel better, I recently discovered that I've been wrong
about female mosquitos not buzzing. I've been spreading the same myth for
years and people have believed me because anyone from Winnipeg is an
automatic mosquito expert! Of course, I was correct about male mosquitoes
not biting, so at least I have a 50% success rate.


>When I'm doing a sauce-moistened fried food that's cut into small
>pieces, I marinate the pieces to be fried with a bit of salt and some
>thin soy. After a while, I add some beaten egg and toss to coat well.
>Then I dredge in cornstarch and rice flour (70-30) to coat very fully.
>Into oil 350°-365°F. The pieces can stick together, so I don't crowd
>the fryer.

Dad always did pure cornstarch for dredging, but added rice flour for
batters like tempura. I'm not sure why, and I've never tested different
combinations so I can't comment on differences. Maybe I should start
experimenting now that I have my very own kitchen. Of course, it's also hot
in Kobe and almost rainy season, so I think it will have to wait until the
fall. Who wants to fry food in this weather?!

I suspect dad didn't do the egg dipping out of...umm...laziness (is that
being disrespectful to the dead?). He used to make schnitzel, too, and I
don't remember him ever egg dipping for that, either. I don't know how he
managed to get the breading to stick so well, though. He just had that
magic touch, I think.

>Both these approaches can give a crust that can stand up to saucing
>for a while. Any crust will eventually surrender to the moisture in
>the sauce, I think.

True. That's one of the reasons why whenever dad made sweet and sour
anything, he would never pour the sauce on the fried meat. We would always
add the sauce ourselves. When we order take out, we also request the sauce
in a separate container (though if we eat in, we don't). He liked his fried
food crunchy.

>Interesting, that difference in the starches. I wasn't aware of that
>situation. I've experimented with other ones like tapioca, potato,
>etc., as well as some different commercial corn starches that were
>modified (pre-cooked, acidified, whatever...). They all had slightly
>different characteristics, but were generally in the range of
>acceptability. Time for more research.

I don't know that I would have noticed the differences between the two
cornstarches, but dad did. He was picky about his fried food :-).

rona
--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

"Rona Yuthasastrakosol" > wrote in
:

> True. That's one of the reasons why whenever dad made sweet and sour
> anything, he would never pour the sauce on the fried meat. We would
> always add the sauce ourselves. When we order take out, we also
> request the sauce in a separate container (though if we eat in, we
> don't). He liked his fried food crunchy.
>
>>Interesting, that difference in the starches. I wasn't aware of that
>>situation. I've experimented with other ones like tapioca, potato,
>>etc., as well as some different commercial corn starches that were
>>modified (pre-cooked, acidified, whatever...). They all had slightly
>>different characteristics, but were generally in the range of
>>acceptability. Time for more research.
>
> I don't know that I would have noticed the differences between the two
> cornstarches, but dad did. He was picky about his fried food :-).
>
> rona
> --
> ***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***
>

For sweet and sour style deep fried foods pancake batter works good. Make
the pancake batter just like making pancakes...then dip your food and fry.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

Rona Yuthasastrakosol wrote:

> "Bob (this one)" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Thanks. Good references. Now I have to change my mind. Don't you just
>>hate it when that happens... <g> I've been wrong about that for a lot
>>of years.
>
> If it makes you feel better, I recently discovered that I've been wrong
> about female mosquitos not buzzing. I've been spreading the same myth for
> years and people have believed me because anyone from Winnipeg is an
> automatic mosquito expert! Of course, I was correct about male mosquitoes
> not biting, so at least I have a 50% success rate.

Well, I hope you're properly embarrassed about the female mosquitos.
Of course they don't buzz. They changed the ringer so it *beeps* now.
The guys are still trying to figure out how to program the things.

> I suspect dad didn't do the egg dipping out of...umm...laziness (is that
> being disrespectful to the dead?). He used to make schnitzel, too, and I
> don't remember him ever egg dipping for that, either. I don't know how he
> managed to get the breading to stick so well, though. He just had that
> magic touch, I think.

A technique I sometimes use for marsalas and the like (meat scallops)
is to wet the meat with anything from water to booze of some sort and
press it into seasoned flour to make a thick coating. I put it in the
fridge for a while. After an hour or so, the moisture has pretty much
wet the flour. I dredge it again in the flour and drop it into a
skillet with a thin layer of oil/butter to brown and crisp. Makes a
thick crust that absorbs some of the oil. That's when I use a
combination of butter and my own infused oils. For service, I put any
sauce down on the plate and put the scallops on top. Lovely.

I've done this with very large shrimp, as well. Slice them lengthwise
in half or thirds, if they're big enough.

Pastorio

"hahabogus" > wrote in message
...

>
> For sweet and sour style deep fried foods pancake batter works good. Make
> the pancake batter just like making pancakes...then dip your food and fry.

To me, that would lead to something more like food court Chinese food.
Cantonese Chinese food, at least, is more of the dredging style. If you
ever find your way to the south end of town, try the sweet and sour at North
Garden (on the right of University Crescent just off Pembina) or Sun Fortune
(also on Pembina, just past Chancellor Drive on the right). If they haven't
changed their recipes, they're more of the dredging-style.

rona
--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

"Bob (this one)" > wrote in message
...
>
> A technique I sometimes use for marsalas and the like (meat scallops)
> is to wet the meat with anything from water to booze of some sort and
> press it into seasoned flour to make a thick coating. I put it in the
> fridge for a while. After an hour or so, the moisture has pretty much
> wet the flour. I dredge it again in the flour and drop it into a
> skillet with a thin layer of oil/butter to brown and crisp. Makes a
> thick crust that absorbs some of the oil. That's when I use a
> combination of butter and my own infused oils. For service, I put any
> sauce down on the plate and put the scallops on top. Lovely.
>

Hmm, he might have done the wetting thing (likely with water) though he
wouldn't have done the sitting-in-the-fridge-thing. He liked to eat when he
wanted to eat--he usually bought whatever he wanted to cook for dinner that
day, then cooked as soon as he got home.

My mother once told me that some nuns in New Mexico (my mother lived in a
convent while attending grad school--odd, but true) used to double
dip/dredge but I vaguely recall something about using oil for one of the
dips. I might be wrong about that, though. I'll have to ask. I might be
thinking of the tortillas...

rona
--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***