Agate Ginkgo
A classic Shandong dish: ginkgo wrapped in minced chicken, deep-fried golden, crispy and tender, sweet-sour, shaped like agate. Perfect for banquets.
Ingredients
11 items- Ginkgo nuts (white fruit) 200 g
- Chicken breast 150 g
- Egg white 1
- Cornstarch 30 g
- Cooking wine 1 tbsp
- Salt 1/2 tsp
- White pepper a pinch
- Sugar 2 tbsp
- Vinegar 1 tbsp
- Oil 500 ml
- Toasted white sesame seeds 1 tsp
Nutrition
Steps （7 steps）
Shell and peel ginkgo, remove bitter core with toothpick. Rinse, blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain.
Cut chicken breast into small pieces; pound into fine paste with knife back. Add egg white, wine, salt, white pepper, stir in one direction until sticky. Mix in 15 g cornstarch, rest 10 minutes.
Wrap each ginkgo with chicken paste into an oval; roll in remaining cornstarch. Place on plate.
Heat oil in wok over medium heat to 160°C, fry balls for 3 minutes until light and set; remove.
Turn to high heat, heat oil to 190°C; deep-fry again for 1 minute until golden and crispy; drain.
In another pan, add sugar, vinegar and 2 tbsp water. Cook over low heat until sugar melts, bubbles form and turns amber; add fried balls, toss quickly to coat.
Turn off heat, sprinkle sesame seeds, plate. Serve hot.
Tips
Remove bitter core of ginkgo for best taste. Mix chicken paste until sticky; wet hands when shaping to prevent sticking. Double-frying ensures extra crispness. Cook syrup over low heat to avoid burning.
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