Offal Good
Jun. 29th, 2025 11:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madbakerThis week's Resolution Recipe: Stir-fried Chicken Hodgepodge (chao jiza).
"My Sichuanese chef friends might be surprised to see me include this recipe - it's not a fancy dish and is rarely seen on restaurant menus. It is, though, delicious and a perfect illustration of the resourcefulness of Sichaunese cooking."
I think every culture with poor people has this type of dish. You can't stick to premium cuts (or even regular meat) when resources are limited. Heck, wok cooking in general is about using limited cooking fuel to its most efficient extent.
200 g chicken livers and/or hearts (I used livers)
4 sticks celery
2 pickled chiles
no garlic (Ha! I used... more.)
a few slices fresh ginger (I used frozen crushed ginger, which is a fabulous discovery)
6 scallions
3 Tbsp veg oil
1/2 tsp chile bean paste
1 Tbsp chile oil
Marinade:
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sherry
1 1/2 tsp potato starch
Sauce:
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black vinegar
1/4 tsp potato starch
1 Tbsp stock or water (I used water)
Thinly slice the offal. Place in a bowl, then add the marinade ingredients, mix well and set aside.
Cut the celery into narrow batons about 2" long. Slice the pickled chiles and scallions at an angle into "horse ear" slices. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat, add the offal and stir-fry until pale in color. Tilt the wok, push the offal up one side, and tip the chile bean paste into the oil pooling at the base. Stir-fry until the oil is red and fragrant. Tilt the wok back, add the pickled chiles, scallions, garlic, and ginger. Mix everything together and stir-fry over high heat until the ginger smells wonderful, then add the celery and stir-fry until piping hot. Give the sauce a stir and add it to the wok, stirring as it thickens. Finally, stir in the chile oil and serve.
What worked: We liked this. The wife has always liked chicken livers, although she no longer craves them every month.
What didn't: Fresh chicken livers are not as easy to slice thinly and evenly (lightly frozen would work better). I just snipped them irregularly with kitchen shears.
Will I make it again? Maybe, though it won't be a regular fixture.
"My Sichuanese chef friends might be surprised to see me include this recipe - it's not a fancy dish and is rarely seen on restaurant menus. It is, though, delicious and a perfect illustration of the resourcefulness of Sichaunese cooking."
I think every culture with poor people has this type of dish. You can't stick to premium cuts (or even regular meat) when resources are limited. Heck, wok cooking in general is about using limited cooking fuel to its most efficient extent.
200 g chicken livers and/or hearts (I used livers)
4 sticks celery
2 pickled chiles
no garlic (Ha! I used... more.)
a few slices fresh ginger (I used frozen crushed ginger, which is a fabulous discovery)
6 scallions
3 Tbsp veg oil
1/2 tsp chile bean paste
1 Tbsp chile oil
Marinade:
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sherry
1 1/2 tsp potato starch
Sauce:
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black vinegar
1/4 tsp potato starch
1 Tbsp stock or water (I used water)
Thinly slice the offal. Place in a bowl, then add the marinade ingredients, mix well and set aside.
Cut the celery into narrow batons about 2" long. Slice the pickled chiles and scallions at an angle into "horse ear" slices. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat, add the offal and stir-fry until pale in color. Tilt the wok, push the offal up one side, and tip the chile bean paste into the oil pooling at the base. Stir-fry until the oil is red and fragrant. Tilt the wok back, add the pickled chiles, scallions, garlic, and ginger. Mix everything together and stir-fry over high heat until the ginger smells wonderful, then add the celery and stir-fry until piping hot. Give the sauce a stir and add it to the wok, stirring as it thickens. Finally, stir in the chile oil and serve.
What worked: We liked this. The wife has always liked chicken livers, although she no longer craves them every month.
What didn't: Fresh chicken livers are not as easy to slice thinly and evenly (lightly frozen would work better). I just snipped them irregularly with kitchen shears.
Will I make it again? Maybe, though it won't be a regular fixture.
