A Chinese technique
My favorite recipes? General tao’s chicken, sweet and sour beef, sweet and sour pork (lots of Chinese crispy chicken, yes, I love it, don’t judge me).
If you’re interested in Chinese cuisine in any way, you’ll find that many recipes follow the same procedure: deep-frying followed by a sauce.
Delicious crispy Chinese chicken deliciously topped with sweet and sour sauce just can’t be described to someone who’s never tasted it.
Having said that, in Chinese cooking, “Fry 1 until lightly browned, then fry 2 until golden brown” is actually hidden under frying… Why?
It’s all about the crunch
Basic breadcrumbs are made from salt, cornstarch, wheat flour and baking powder. The latter is what gives the nuggets their “puffed” appearance.
Wheat flour adds consistency and cornstarch adds crunch, so it’s the latter that we’ll be basing ourselves on at the end of this article, when I’ll unveil my universal breadcrumb recipe. With it, you can make crispy chicken, crispy beef, etc., whatever you like!
When first fried, the water around the fried ingredient migrates outwards, softening the breadcrumbs.
Once in a sauce, and an acidic one at that, the sauce will tend to detach… so you’ll end up with pieces of breadcrumbs and meat “naked” in a sauce. No doubt very tasty, but nothing like what we want.
That’s why Chinese and other Asian cuisines use double frying! Think of it this way: The first pass forms a preliminary crust, and when cooled, the water migrates to the crust.
Frying a second time will vaporize this water and resolidify the crust, this time for good!
Universal breadcrumbs
Now you know the reasons for double-frying.
But there are other factors at play, such as the ratio of cornstarch to wheat flour, and the length of time the sauce is put in.
Sauces with a “sour” component will soften the breadcrumbs over time… so it’s important that the breadcrumbs are made of solid ingredients to last!
As the cornstarch provides the crunch, we’d be tempted to simply dip the meat in and fry.
That’s what a lot of recipes do, because it’s simple and effective! There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s very good. But we can do better.
Here’s an exclusive recipe for universal breadcrumbs that, when combined with double-frying, will stay crisp for hours!
The recipe for universal breadcrumbs
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons wheat flour
- 16 tablespoons cold water: thermal shock improves crispness
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder for “General Tao’s chicken”, use 1 teaspoon for “honey chicken”.
- 1 pinch salt
Honey chicken with 1 teaspoon baking powder
General tso’s chicken with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Universal popcorn chicken batter
Matériel
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons wheat flour
- 16 tablespoons cold water
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder use 1 for a fuller look
- 1 pinch salt
Procédé
- Mix until smooth and homogeneous. It should have the consistency of thick cream. Add flour if necessary.
Notes
- Cold water creates a thermal shock with the oil, improving crispness.
- The dough should have a thick yoghurt/cream consistency. If it’s too runny, add flour.
