Taiwanese popcorn pheasant recipe – Gun Canine

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This recipe is able to develop into a staple in your meal rotation. (Picture: Jenny Nguyen-Whetley)

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Taiwanese popcorn is a really crunchy style. It is not possible to not pop these addictive bites into your mouth proper out of the fryer—and burn your tongue within the course of. The scrumptious aromas of Chinese language 5 spice hit you even earlier than burning, and the crunch is in contrast to something the Colonel can provide.

As you most likely guessed, the unique dish is made with hen and is a standard meals in evening markets in Taiwan. In america, Taiwanese popcorn hen is commonly bought as a snack in Asian boba tea or bubble tea shops. I ate loads rising up in Backyard Grove, CA, and once I return to go to my household, I at all times need to savor. As I not too long ago found, the dish could be very straightforward to make at house—assuming you’ll be able to hold observe of the elements.

Bob’s Crimson Mill makes tapioca flour, which is similar as tapioca starch. All-purpose flour will present a totally completely different crunch and taste, so I would not suggest this substitution. These new to Asian cooking ought to notice that rice cooking wine can’t examine to rice wine vinegar, so do not mistake the 2. Pale dry sherry or Japanese sake would make good substitutes.

Add pheasant flour to Taiwanese popcorn
When you have hassle discovering tapioca flour, use cornstarch or potato starch as an alternative. (Picture: Jenny Nguyen-Whetley)

I used Italian basil right here, however Thai basil is one of the best. I discovered that the aroma of Italian basil didn’t unfold after frying. Keep in mind to clean the basil completely earlier than frying as a result of any moisture will escape into the recent oil, much more so than regular. In the event you do not need to cope with oil slicks—and there is no getting round them—simply skip the basil. The pheasant will nonetheless style good.

As for the meat itself, I at all times desire utilizing aged birds over contemporary ones, which leads to a extra tender and flavorful finish outcome. I am used to getting older all incrementally, so stiffness is never a difficulty. For extra on getting older pheasants, discover my story “Why You Ought to Ageing Your Sport Birds (And How To Do It The Proper Approach).” Ageing is very essential should you plan to make use of thigh meat for this recipe.

If you wish to make a meal out of it, crush every chicken breast a little bit and fry it within the type of cutlets. After the excessive season, do this recipe with wild turkey or hen.

Taiwanese pheasant popcorn recipe

fruit: 4 entrees
Preparation time: 70 min
Cooking time: quarter-hour

Particular tools: Oil thermometer, splatter guard

Fundamental elements:

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless hen breasts and/or thighs
  • 1 tbsp. I’m willow
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. Chinese language 5 spice powder
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ½ tsp. white pepper
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
  • ½ tsp. Onion salt
  • ½ tsp. Floor (or freshly grated) ginger
  • 1 tbsp. Shaoxing rice cooker wine
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tbsp. Corn Starch
  • 1 tbsp. water
  • 1 cup tapioca flour/starch (or cornstarch)
  • 8 contemporary basil leaves, ideally Thai basil
  • Frying oil, peanut or vegetable
  • Candy chili sauce
Taiwanese popcorn cooked pheasant in a skillet
This recipe is nice for sharing with others as a snack or appetizer. (Picture: Jenny Nguyen-Whetley)

Cooking instructions:

  1. Lower the pheasant into 1-inch items.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, mix soy sauce, kosher salt, 5-spice powder, sugar, white pepper, garlic, onion salt, ginger, rice wine, egg whites, and cornstarch.
  3. Add the pheasant items and blend properly.
  4. Marinate on the counter for an hour or refrigerate, coated, in a single day.
  5. In a skillet, warmth 1½ inches of oil to 350°F.
  6. In the meantime, pour 1 cup tapioca flour into a large, shallow bowl or small cookie sheet.
  7. sprinkle 1 tbsp. of water over flour and stir with a fork to type small clumps; These lumps will persist with the pheasants and develop into extra crunchy when fried.
  8. Stir the marinated pheasant and add half of the meat to the flour. Moist your palms below the sink, and knead the meat till the tapioca flour sticks. The meat must be moist for the wrapper to stay, so dip the chops again into extra marinade if crucial.
  9. Deep fry the battered pheasants in batches till golden and crispy. Observe that the tapioca flour is not going to brown in addition to it does with all-purpose flour, so so long as the coating is crisp, it is prepared.
  10. Cowl with the remaining drawer and permit the oil to return to 350 levels earlier than frying every new batch of popcorn.
  11. Drain the fried pheasants on a cooling rack or on paper towels.
  12. To fry the basil, first ensure the basil is totally dry.
  13. Then with the splash guard prepared in your different hand, add the basil leaves to the recent oil and instantly cowl with the guard. Basil accommodates loads of water and can splash violently, so watch out.
  14. Fry for a number of seconds till the leaves start to show translucent. Take away leaves promptly and drain. If desired, sprinkle with a little bit sea salt.
  15. Serve heat popcorn with fried basil leaves garnished on high.
  16. Serve chili sauce on the facet for dipping.

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