Chicken wings assembly

‘Assembly’ is a translation of the Chinese word hui, which refers to food re-cooked in gravy thickened with cornflour. Most supermarkets sell chicken wings and legs separately. They are usually sold 4-6 to a pack, and are very good value.

1/2 lb (225 g) chicken breast meat
1/2 lb (225 g) pork fillet
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tsp cornflour blended with 1 tbsp cold water
3 tbsp oil

For the sauce

3 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
2-3 spring onion stalks, finely chopped
1 tbsp crushed yellow bean paste
1 tbsp Hoi Sin sauce
1 tbsp rice wine or sherry
2 tsp cornflour blended with 3 tbsp cold water

Trim off and discard the tip of the wings (they can be used for making stock), and cut the remains of the wings into two pieces by breaking the joint. Mix them with sugar, soy sauce, wine and cornflour, and marinate for at least 25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Cut the spring onions and crush the garlic.

Heat the oil in a pre-heated wok or large frying pan that has a fitting lid. When the oil is hot, take the chicken wings out of the marinade and lightly brown them, then scoop out with a perforated spoon. Now fry the garlic and spring onions followed by crushed yellow bean paste, add a little stock or water and stir to make a smooth gravy. Then add the chicken wings together with the marinade and more stock or water, stir and bring to the boil, then place a lid tightly over the pan and keep the heat fairly high. Listen carefully for the sizzling noise to make sure it is not burning. After a few minutes add a little more stock or water and stir gently to make sure that the chicken pieces are not stuck to the bottom of the pan. Then replace the lid and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, until almost all the sauce is absorbed – then the dish is ready to serve.

© Deh-Ta Hsiung and reproduced with his kind permission.