Crispy Fried Chicken (Martin Yan’s-Style)
January 9th, 2010 | Chinese, Chinese, Chinese Recipes, Eating Light | 25 Comments
Martin Yan. The mere mention of the name Martin Yan conjures up visual pictures of my childhood days in Penang, Malaysia.
I am a fan of Martin Yan, since I was little. I remember my family and I would crowd in front of the TV watching “Yan Can Cook.” Back then, I didn’t understand English completely but I loved the entertaining cooking show that Chef Yan brought to the world. Chef Yan was always having fun in the kitchen; he was witty, humorous, had mad chopping and cutting skills. Most of all, the dishes he made were always mouthwatering, he did it with such grace and sophistication. Chef Yan is the master TV chef for Chinese food…(get crispy fried chicken recipe after the jump)
Martin Yan’s China is his most recent cookbook and this crispy fried chicken is an adaptation of his recipe. When Chef Yan was traveling in Guangzhou, he chanced upon a street vendor selling crispy chicken nuggets flavored with fermented bean curd (腐乳)—a pungent yet deeply-flavorful Chinese ingredient where bean curds are fermented in brine and flavored with Chinese rice wine and red chilies. For this specific street-style crispy fried chicken recipe, it calls for red fermented bean curd (南乳), a common ingredient in Cantonese-style cooking. As soon as I read the recipe, I knew I had to make it.
The red fermented bean curd might smell sharp, but as a flavoring agent, it lends a nice intense and yeasty aroma to the fried chicken. I just love it. Fermented bean curds can be found at Asian stores and they always come in a clear glass bottle. Look for those which are dark red in color. This ingredient also makes a great marinate for my other favorite Cantonese dish—roast chicken with red fermented bean curd (南乳烧鸡), yum!
Adapted from: Martin Yan’s China
Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless and skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs, cut into bite-size cubes
1 cup cornstarch
1 egg (beaten)
Oil for deep-frying
Marinate:
2 cubes (about 1 oz.) red fermented bean curd (南乳)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
3 dashes white pepper powder
Method:
Mash the fermented bean curd in a bowl and add sugar, salt, and white pepper powder. Stir well.
Add the chicken pieces and marinate in the friedge for 1 – 4 hours.
Heat up the oil into a wok for deep-frying. Dip the chicken nuggets in the beaten egg and then coat with the corn starch evenly. Deep-fry the chicken until they turn golden brown, remove from the oil and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
Serve immediately and dip with your favorite chili sauce. I recommend dipping with Lingham’s hot sauce.
Cook’s Note:
If you haven’t yet acquired the taste of the fermented bean curd, use slightly lesser of it in your marinate.
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I loved watching Martin Yan on TV as I grew up! These sound so delicious and full of flavor.
Wow looks great! I used to watch his cooking shows too, he’s always so cheerful and funny. Love using red fermented bean curd for marinades and stews. So fragrant and tasty.
I love getting this style of crispy fried chicken at Asian snack shops or boba places, but never have cooked it myself. Thanks for the recipe – now I can!
Although I have never seen Martin Yan these little morsels look absolutely delicious, and I especially love how they are wrapped in newspaper. Reminds me of how the street vendors sell little fried snacks in SE Asia.
Love chicken done many ways but Chinese is on the top of the list. Martin Yan is still one of my favorite TV chefs. Even though we do not see him like years ago he put down a good foundation for others to follow with his great kitchen skills and gift for connecting with the viewers. I’ll be shopping soon for the bean curd, can’t wait to test this great recipe. One last thing, years ago in the stone age of the 50’s we had a Chinese chef down the street who cooked “chicken chow mein” in a very large pot and it was very soup like. I believe his style was Cantonese. Now days most Asian restaurants here cook in a different way with the veggies being partly cooked in and out of the wok in seconds. I dream of finding a chef who prepares it the way I remember it as a child. Does anyone out there have the same dream ?
I’m so curious about this red fermented bean cured. I’ve seen some recipes for char siu that use it. Does it come in a liquid?
Hey Marc, here is how it looks: http://www.jiangmen.gov.cn/zjjm/mytc/200708/W020071115388750469184.jpg
crispy fried chix…I am so on this!
I don’t think we get that red fermented beans. Fried chicken looks delicous.
Happy newyear.
Thank you and happy new year.
I love watching his shows too as he makes cooking look so fun and easy. Your fried chicken looks so yummy!
Looks delicious! Fried foods are so tempting and alluringly good, aren’t they? Interesting presentation. Is this how it’s served by the Chinese vendors in Guangzhou or how did the newspaper-cone inspiration come about?
Keep up the great work!
Jenny, I was inspired by Chef Yan’s photograph of this dish. I think it’s served this way in China.
This looks great! I am already hungry :)
I would take those crispy chicken bits over popcorn ANYDAY at the movie theater. :) Thanks for sharing yet another fabulous recipe, Bee.
I never worked with red fermented bean curd before but you surely make me want to get some.
Zen – you should try it. Cantonese chefs use them a lot. You must try the roast chicken marinated with fermented bean curd, too!
I luv this.. we use this bean curd for pork in yam and duck in ginger…
Cant wait to try this during CNY :)
i’m drooooling! i would never had thought to do this but it sounds perfect. thanks for sharing!
Hey, I grew up watching Yan can cook too!
I must watch out for his new cookbook then and bon courage with yours.
Looks Yummy!!! Love anything fried!!! I am sure my son will love it! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Martin Yan is definitely my ultimate TV food guru and his cookbooks are awesome too.
tks a lot for sharing!! Just tried this last nite for dnr, it was very yummy! Do u hv the prawn paste chicken recipe to share as well? =)
I remember doing just that, too — crowding around the TV with my family to watch Martin Yan go “Chop it up, Chop it up!” on public television.No one can wield a cleaver like he can. He has mad skills! ;)
This crispy chicken looks heavenly. But then again, it’s hard not to adore any fried foods.
Just love the photo of the food, all wrapped up like the kacang putih that is sold by the Indian vendors.
Huge fan of frying and that picture surely looks worth trying to create it.