ross dobson food

For as long as I can remember sherry was listed as an ingredient in Chinese recipes. What has this strong flavoured, fortified grape wine, of Spanish origin have to do with Chinese cooking? Absolutely nothing. But it was considered a suitable substitute in the days when chinese rice wine used to be hard to come by. To read more click on below. Meanwhile, you may like to try this drunken chicken recipe. I have made the easy version here, using chicken breast instead of the traditional recipe which uses a whole chicken and takes some time.

drunken chicken with ginger and spring onion
(the easy version)
2 cups Chinese rice wine
6 thin slices ginger
2 large free range chicken breast fillets
6 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon light soy sauce

Place the rice wine, ginger slices and chicken in a saucepan and pour in enough water to just cover the chicken. Slowly bring to the boil. As soon as the liquid boils, turn off the heat and place on a tight fitting lid. Let the chicken poach for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the spring onions and grated ginger in a small bowl. Heat the oils until smoking hot and pour into the bowl. Stirring a few times. Add the soy sauce.
Slice the chicken and serve with steamed rice and greens with the sauce drizzled over.

In Chinese culture in general, and most certainly in Chinese cooking, rice wine has a status bordering on celestial.

Rice wine does not fit the western notion of wine being a beverage made from fermented grape juice.
It is made from fermented glutinous rice. The most famous rice wine is that which has been steeped in the waters of a lake in Shao Hsing (or Shao Xing) province, in eastern China. Shao Hsing is one of a handful of areas in China famous for making rice wine for centuries.

After steeping, the rice is steamed and wheat yeast is added. This is followed by a period of fermentation. The resulting liquid is strained and aged in earthenware pots for up to 5 years. The rice wine of Shao Hsing is considered premium and the very name Shao Hsing has become synonymous with rice wine. The two most popular and respected brands being Pagoda, with a pale blue label, and the distinctive red and black labelled Lianshi brand, with its particularly yeasty flavour. Both can be bought at most supermarkets and any Asian grocer for as little as two dollars.

Shao Hsing rice wine has a dark golden, amber colour with a nutty aroma, resonating a mellow richness. Some varieties are clear in colour but are considered inferior in quality. They generally bear the generic label ‘Chinese cooking wine’. Also, be aware that Japanese sake has a very different taste as too does the sweet and syrupy mirin.  Rice wine is stored in dark coloured glass or jars similar to brown beer bottles. It is sensitive to light so like a good olive oil should be kept in a dark cool place away from direct light.

It is considered one of the vital ingredients in Chinese cooking. Rice wine and its partner soy sauce, along with that other harmonious couple of ginger and spring onion, provide a ying-yang balance to foods. These heavenly duos entice fresh ingredients to meet their full potential. They are the salt and pepper of Chinese cooking.

The pre occupation with preserving and encouraging the natural flavours in fresh produce is very Cantonese. In a typical Canton stir fry, rice wine de glazes a wok, capturing seasonings and spices. When poured down the hot the sides of a wok, it sizzles along the way, uniting flavours. This procedure cooks off the alchohol leaving a nutty sweet flavour to balance the saltiness of the soy sauce.

In other traditional recipes, rice wine is used to mellow strong, hearty flavours. When combined with dark soy and stock and other fragrant and aromatic spices like star anise, cinnamon, dried orange peel and fennel seed, the resulting liquid is referred to as a ‘red braise’. This rich master stock is typically used in the slow braising of meats, deepening flavour without imposing, resulting in rich, unctuous fare.

In poaching it gently flavours meat, particularly chicken. In marinades, rice wine tenderises and is often used as flavour enhancer to succulent prawns in their shell. In steaming, rice wine provides a gentle and aromatic bath in which to cook whole fish.