Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (64 page)
ABOUT TOFU
Popular across Asia, tofu is made from the curds of soy milk. Although freshly made tofu is common across the Pacific, in the United States tofu is typically sold in blocks packed in water and can be found in the refrigerated section of supermarkets. Tofu is available in a variety of textures, including silken, soft, medium-firm, firm, and extra-firm. We prefer the latter two in stir-frying because the tofu holds its shape well while being moved around in the pan. Like dairy products, tofu in perishable and should be kept well chilled. If you want to keep an open package of tofu fresh for several days, cover the tofu with fresh water and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container, changing the water daily. Any hint of sourness means the tofu is past its prime (we prefer to use it within a few days of opening).
SERVES 3 TO 4
Eggplant can cook unevenly because the stem end is denser than the part containing most of the seeds. If some of the pieces seem cooked through in less than the allotted time, transfer these pieces to a plate and continue cooking the others until done. Return all the pieces to the pan before adding the glaze mixture. If you like a spicier stir-fry, increase the chili-garlic sauce to 2 teaspoons. Serve with
SIMPLE WHITE RICE
.
GLAZE
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth |
2 | tablespoons soy sauce |
2 | tablespoons honey |
SAUCE
³⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth |
3 | tablespoons soy sauce |
2 | tablespoons honey |
1 | tablespoon rice vinegar |
1 | tablespoon cornstarch |
1 | teaspoon Asian chili-garlic sauce |
VEGETABLES
4 | garlic cloves, minced |
2 | teaspoons grated fresh ginger |
¹⁄ | cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil |
1 | large egg, lightly beaten |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
1¹⁄ | pounds eggplant, peeled and cut crosswise into 1¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup cornstarch |
5¹⁄ | ounces broccoli florets |
³⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth |
1 | red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | pound bok choy or napa cabbage, stalks or cores cut into ¹⁄ |
2 | tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional) |
1. FOR THE GLAZE:
Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl.
2. FOR THE SAUCE:
Whisk all ingredients together in second small bowl.
3. FOR THE VEGETABLES:
Combine garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon oil in third small bowl and set aside.
4.
Whisk egg and salt together in large bowl. Add eggplant, toss to coat, then transfer to clean bowl, allowing any excess egg to drip off. Sprinkle cornstarch over eggplant and, using rubber spatula, toss to coat. Heat ¹⁄
4
cup oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add eggplant in single layer and cook, without moving, until golden brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, flip eggplant over gently, and continue to cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until pieces are golden brown and softened, about 10 minutes. (Some pieces may take longer than others; see note.) Increase heat to medium-high, add glaze mixture, and cook, stirring, until glaze is thickened and eggplant is coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer eggplant to large plate. Rinse skillet clean and dry with paper towels.
5.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth, cover, and cook until broccoli is just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates, about 30 seconds. Transfer broccoli to plate with eggplant.
6.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add bell pepper and bok choy stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add greens and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 1 minute. Clear center of skillet, add garlic mixture, and cook, mashing mixture into pan, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir mixture into greens.
7.
Return vegetables to skillet, add sauce, and cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and vegetables are coated, about 1 minute. Transfer to platter, top with pine nuts, if using, and serve immediately.
SKILLETS—SIZE MATTERS
With a skillet in hand, you can cook just about anything. In general, we find that a 12-inch skillet is the most versatile size to have, as it can hold a large quantity of food. We reach for this size when we need a greater surface area to brown food in a single, even layer, as with stir-fries. But when cooking smaller amounts, an 8-inch or 10-inch skillet often works better because a larger pan will scorch if the surface area is exposed and uncovered. And a smaller skillet can be a better choice when cooking food in liquid or sauce; in a large pan the sauce would not cover the food. One last note: it’s important always to use the pan specified in the recipe—if you use a pan that is too big, both the food and the bottom of the pan can burn. And if you use a pan that is too small, food will be packed too tight and will steam instead of searing.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Capturing the flavors of this classic Thai ground-chicken dish required not only gathering the right ingredients but also learning a whole new way to stir-fry. Stir-frying at a low temperature (contrary to classic Chinese-style stir-frying) allowed us to cook the aromatics and a full cup of basil from the beginning so they could infuse the cooking oil with their flavors. Grinding the chicken in a food processor, along with some fish sauce, gave us coarse-textured meat that retained moisture during cooking. A combination of oyster sauce and white vinegar added rich but bright flavor. Stirring in another cup of basil at the end and cooking just until the leaves wilted added a fresh finish and boosted the basil flavor to the right level for this dish.
SERVES 4
Since tolerance for spiciness can vary, we’ve kept our recipe relatively mild. Sweetness without sufficient heat can become cloying, so we also cut back the sugar. For a very mild version of the dish, remove the seeds and ribs from the chiles. If fresh Thai chiles are unavailable, substitute 2 serranos or 1 medium jalapeño. In Thailand, crushed red pepper and sugar are passed at the table, along with extra fish sauce and white vinegar, so the dish can be adjusted to suit individual tastes. Serve with steamed rice and vegetables, if desired.
2 | cups fresh basil leaves |
3 | garlic cloves, peeled |
6 | green or red Thai chiles, stemmed |
2 | tablespoons fish sauce, plus extra for serving |
1 | tablespoon oyster sauce |
1 | tablespoon sugar, plus extra for serving |
1 | teaspoon white vinegar, plus extra for serving |
1 | pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces |
3 | medium shallots, sliced thin |
2 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
Red pepper flakes, for serving |
1.
Pulse 1 cup basil, garlic, and chiles in food processor until finely chopped, 6 to 10 pulses, scraping down bowl once during processing. Transfer 1 tablespoon basil mixture to small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and vinegar; set aside. Transfer remaining basil mixture to 12-inch nonstick skillet. Do not wash workbowl.
2.
Pulse chicken and 1 tablespoon fish sauce in food processor until meat is chopped into approximate ¹⁄
4
-inch pieces, 6 to 8 pulses. Transfer to medium bowl and refrigerate 15 minutes.
3.
Stir shallots and oil into basil mixture in skillet. Heat over medium-low heat (mixture should start to sizzle after about 1¹⁄
2
minutes; if it doesn’t, adjust heat accordingly), stirring constantly, until garlic and shallots are golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
4.
Add chicken, increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring and breaking up chicken with potato masher or rubber spatula, until only traces of pink remain, 2 to 4 minutes. Add reserved basil–fish sauce mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 cup basil and cook, stirring constantly, until basil is wilted, 30 to 60 seconds. Serve immediately, passing extra fish sauce, sugar, pepper flakes, and vinegar separately.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Tired of dry, stringy meat in our chicken stir-fry recipes, we came up with a solution: We soaked the chicken in a combination brine-marinade to add flavor and moisture, then dipped the marinated pieces of chicken in a cornstarch-oil mixture. The cornstarch coating, a modified version of the Chinese technique called velveting, helped the chicken stay moist even with a high-heat cooking method.
See “PREPARING CHICKEN BREASTS FOR STIR-FRIES” illustrations that follow recipe.
SERVES 4
To make slicing the chicken easier, freeze it for 15 minutes. Serve with
SIMPLE WHITE RICE
.
SAUCE
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
2 | tablespoons dry sherry |
1 | tablespoon soy sauce |
1 | tablespoon oyster sauce |
2 | teaspoons grated fresh ginger |
¹⁄ | teaspoon toasted sesame oil |
1 | teaspoon cornstarch |
1 | teaspoon sugar |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
CHICKEN STIR-FRY
2 | teaspoons grated fresh ginger |
1 | garlic clove, minced |
2 | tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil |
1 | cup water |
¹⁄ | cup soy sauce |
¹⁄ | cup dry sherry |
1 | pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced thin |
2 | tablespoons toasted sesame oil |
1 | tablespoon cornstarch |
1 | tablespoon all-purpose flour |
1 | pound bok choy, stalks cut on bias into ¹⁄ |
1 | small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¹⁄ |
1. FOR THE SAUCE:
Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl and set aside.
2. FOR THE STIR-FRY:
Combine ginger, garlic, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in small bowl and set aside. Combine water, soy sauce, and sherry in medium bowl. Add chicken and stir to break up clumps. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Pour off excess liquid from chicken.
3.
Mix sesame oil, cornstarch, and flour in medium bowl until smooth. Toss chicken in cornstarch mixture until evenly coated.
4.
Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking. Add half of chicken to skillet in single layer and cook, without stirring, until golden brown on first side, about 1 minute.
Flip chicken pieces over and cook until lightly browned on second side, about 30 seconds. Transfer chicken to clean bowl. Repeat with 2 teaspoons vegetable oil and remaining chicken.
5.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to skillet and heat over high heat until just smoking. Add bok choy stalks and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Clear center of skillet, add ginger mixture, and cook, mashing mixture into pan, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir mixture into vegetables and continue to cook until stalks are crisp-tender, about 30 seconds longer. Stir in bok choy greens and cook until beginning to wilt, about 30 seconds.
6.
Return chicken to skillet. Whisk sauce to recombine, add to skillet, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through, about 30 seconds. Transfer to platter and serve immediately.