Garlic Chicken with Green Asparagus & Bell Peppers

Some people dislike garlic but we love it, especially because of its medicinal qualities.  I also add Chinese black vinegar to enhance the taste and aroma of the dish.  The following recipe uses a moderate amount of garlic.

Ingredients (serves 4):
550 g chicken breast, to be cut into bite-size cubes
2 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or sherry (or light soy sauce)

250 g green asparagus, to be peeled (about 1,5 cm from cut ends) and cut into 6 cm pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, to be deseeded and cut into bite-size pieces
1 green bell pepper, to be deseeded and cut into bit-size pieces
2 medium-size carrots, to be peeled and sliced
3 spring onions, to be cut into 6 cm lengths
2 dried wood ears or cloud ears (telinga tikus), to be soaked in warm water and sliced

8 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely minced
5 cm fresh ginger, to be peeled and finely cut into strips
6 tbsp cooking oil

Sauce Ingredients:
4 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp chilli oil
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
2 tsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cornflour
9 tbsp water

Method:
An excellent tip from my mum's friend who was a good cook and owned a Hainanese Chicken Rice stall on how to tenderize chicken meat:  Before marinating them, add 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (Natron) to the chicken, mix well and leave aside for about 15 minutes.  Then, wash chicken cubes in a colander under running water until there is no trace of baking soda. Wipe chicken cubes dry with kitchen paper before marinating them with cornflour and sherry or cooking wine.  Leave aside for about 20 minutes.

Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl and leave aside.  Heat 2 tbsp of cooking in a wok over high heat.  Add chicken pieces and stir-fry until chicken pieces are opaque in colour or half-cooked. Remove to a bowl and leave aside.

Heat the remaining cooking oil in wok over high heat.  Add minced garlic and ginger strips. Stir-fry until fragrant.  Then, add in wood ears slices, green asparagus, carrot slices and bell peppers.  Stir-fry until asparagus and carrot slices are almost cooked.

Return chicken pieces to wok and stir well.  Then, add sauce ingredients and mix well.  Cook until chicken is done and check seasoning.

Serve hot with rice!

Bon Appetit!