EXPLODE FRY PADDY CHICKEN

Yesterday I mentioned various frog dishes, with translations of their names: 姜葱田雞 ('geung-tsung tin kai': ginger scallion frog), 宫保田雞 ('gong-po tin kai': kung pao frog), 豆豉田雞 ('dau-si tin kai': black bean sauce frog).
And I know that the names alone will tell you how to cook them.

One dish I forgot to translate: 爆炒田雞 ('baau chaau tin kai'); "explode-fry paddy chicken". Chopped fresh frog sautéed on a high flame.

Paddy chicken is the affectionate culinary nickname for frogs.
Explode-fry (爆炒) is to sauté over very high heat.


What you will need is a chopped onion, two or three bell peppers, and about a pound of trimmed frog (freshly killed and skinned), along with oil, salt and pepper, and of course garlic and ginger in suitable quantity. Sliver the ginger, chop the garlic, and have two tablespoons or so of siu-heng rice wine (紹興酒) or sherry handy. Hot douban sauce (辣豆瓣醬 'laat dau baan jeung'; spicy bean paste) and a pinch of sugar too.

And some large cut scallion.

So. Remove the hands and feet, chop the legs at the knee, quarter the torso. Put into a bowl, splash with a little soy sauce, add a teaspoon or so of cornstarch and a generous pinch of sugar. Mix. When the cornstarch is well-distributed splash in some siu-heng rice wine or sherry, add a bit of slivered ginger and a drizzle of oil, and let it marinate for a while.

Chop the bell pepper into irregular chunks.


Heat up oil in a fry-pan, sauté (煸 'pin', 煸炒 'pin chaau') ginger, chopped onion, and garlic briefly, dump in the marinated frog, and do the same. When the meat has changed colour drizzle in some rice wine, and decant everything to a bowl. Pour some more oil into the pan, add two or three tablespoons of douban sauce and the green onion. Throw in the coarsely chopped bell peppers, sauté briskly, then add the frog mixture and stirfry a bit. Sizzle with a splash water, add salt and pepper to taste.
Decant to a serving plate.


Personally, I prefer it with no onion, and less bell pepper.
But there has to be enough for everybody.
There's only one of me.



Maybe serve Fried Tofu Chunks Simmered With Fatty Pork (豆卜炆五花腩 'dau puk man ng faa naam') alongside, for a memorable meal.




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