English Translation Provided
Below
Soms is dit nodig om jou smaakpalet aan sy bakkebaard te gryp en dit ‘n
stewige kopstamp toe te dien met die te-laat-waarskuwing: “Koes vir die
draaibal, Boeta!” Net sodat daai lui
smaakbekers herinner kan word waarom hulle nou eintlik elke dag saamgesleep
word . . .
Hierdie resep laat waarskynlik begrafplase vol Haute Cuisine Chefs in hul grafte draai soos bros skapies op ‘n
stadige spit. Dit is ‘n onheilige verwatering van die klassieke ou strydros: Steak aux poivre. Dat ons boonop gelate bloedskande
pleeg met Beouf Stroganoff – en dit
nogal met ‘n hoender – is seker ter-helle-neerdaal onvergeefbaar.
Dit daar gelaat. G’n Peppersteak
pastei hou kers vas by hierdie nommer nie. Dit was erg gewild onder veral
manlike klante toe Vetkoek nog my brood en botter was. Dit word hier weergegee
in ‘n ietwat afgewaterde formaat, nie almal sien kans vir die oog verwaterende
en sinus purgerende speseryerasie van die oorspronklike, kommersiële resep nie.
Tog is dit die intensiteit van die vars gemaalde speserye (sonder ‘n chilli
brand) wat hierdie resep laat ‘werk’.
‘n Woord aangaande die wynkeuse vir hierdie gereg: ‘n jong, weerbarstige
shiraz of nukkerige, rooi zinfandel is omtrent al wat hier gaan werk. Probeer
ook ‘n onlangse Spaanse rioja of ‘n Italiaanse chianti (alhoewel, dié neig om
soms ‘waterig’ te wees). Swaar pigmentasie, kwaai tanniene & fenole en ‘n
hoë alkohol inhoud is al wat hierdie peper aanslag doeltreffend gaan teenstaan.
Resep
lewer:
|
Hoeveel
tyd?:
|
3 – 4 Porsies
|
± 60 minute
|
Spesiale
Toerusting Benodig:
Elektriese
koffie meuletjie of ‘n outydse stamper en vysel
Medium
grootte siffie
Platbodem
wok pan
Bestandele:
Medium grootte uie, dun
gesny
|
2
|
Sonneblomolie
|
30
ml
|
Suiker
|
15
ml
|
Hoenderborsie filette,
ontbeen en ontvel
|
500
g
|
Wit sampioene, dik skywe
gesny
|
250
g
|
Hoender aftreksel
|
125
ml
|
Speserye Mengsel:
|
|
Sout
|
7.5
ml
|
Heel swartpeper korrels
|
7.5
ml
|
Heel wonderpeper korrels
|
5
ml
|
Heel Sichuan peperkorrels
|
2.5
ml
|
Lourier blare
|
5
|
Na Keuse: Fyn witpeper
|
5
ml
|
Vars room
|
45
ml
|
Meelblom ( Maizena )
|
7.5
ml
|
Na Keuse: Fyn gerasperde suurlemoenskil
|
5
ml
|
Metode:
1.
Meng al die bestandele van die Speserye
Mengel in ‘n elektriese, koffieboon meuletjie of ‘n stamper en vysel. Puls
die speserye in die meuletjie tot fyn, so 30 – 45 sekondes. Sif die gemaalde
speserye. Plaas die growwe speserye wat in die sif agter gebly het terug in die
meuletjie en herhaal die maal proses. Herhaal dit ‘n derde keer indien enige
growwe speserye oorbly. Gooi enige growwigheid weg wat nog oor is in die siffie
na die derde maal proses. Bedek die gemaalde speserye en hou eenkant tot nodig.
Indien
‘n stamper en vysel gebruik word: Vou ‘n droë vadoek om die vysel om te verhoed
dat stukkies speserye uitskiet en verlore gaan. Die growwerigheid van die sout
kristalle versnel die maal proses.
2.
Sny die hoenderborsies op in dun repies, Stroganoff styl, saam met die
grein van die spiervesels. Hou eenkant, bedek, tot nodig.
3. Soteer die uie en olie saam in
die wok oor medium hitte totdat sag
en glasig. Voeg die suiker by en karamelliseer tot goed verbruin. Skep uit en hou
eenkant.
4. Roerbraai die hoender repies oor
medium hoë hitte totdat dit begin verbruin en skep dit uit en in by die uie.
Gebruik ‘n bietjie ekstra olie indien die hoender aan die pan vassit.
5. Braai die sampioene oor hoë
hitte tot bruin en leeragtig. Gebruik ekstra olie indien dit lyk of die
sampioene wil aanbrand.
6. Stel die hitte af na laag en giet
die hoender aftreksel in die pan by die verbruinde sampioene. Skraap die pan
goed om enige aanbrandseltjies op te lig vanaf die pan se bodem en kante.
7. Meng die room en meelblom en
voeg dit saam met die Speserye Mengsel
by die pan. Roer gereeld en verhit totdat die inhoud begin prut en die sous
verdik. Prut in verdere ± 3 minute om die geure te ontwikkel.
8. Meng die gaar hoender repies
en uie in by die sous. Meng deeglik en bedien onmiddelik.
Kommentaar:
· Vir die masochiste onder ons: Onthou daai witpeper by die Speserye Mengsel vir ‘n deeglik sadistiese
ervaring.
· Sichuan peper korrels is ‘n item wat geredelik beskikbaar is
by handelaars wat spesialiseer in Chinese kookkuns bestandele. Laat dit uit
indien moeilik om op te spoor en verdubbel die hoeveelheid lourier blare.
· Bedien oor skroef pasta met ‘n tamatie, uie en mielie salsa om die ergste opwinding te tem.
Sichuan peper
Ook bekend as Szechuan peper of
Chinese koljander (coriander). Dit is
gewild in Chinese, Tibetaanse, Nepalese en Indiese kookkunste. Ons ken dit in
Suid Afrika as ‘n bestandeel van die gewilde, Chinese vyf-speserye mengsel (five-spice powder).
Die spesery het ‘n prominente
‘blomme’ geur met ‘n effense suurlemoen ondertoon. Die reuk herinner in
besonder aan bougainvilla blomme op ‘n warm somersmiddag, met ‘n effense potpourri agtergrond. Dit het nie ‘n ‘chilli
brand’ nie, maar verdoof die mond effens en veroorsaak ‘n ligte, ‘gonserige’
tinteling in die mond se wande.
Hierdie effense verdowende uitwerking
van Sichuan peper skep die geleentheid om die bytende speserye lading van enige
gereg waarin dit gebruik word, skerp te verhoog sonder om die ‘byt’ totaal
oorweldigend te maak. Dit is presies hiervoor waarom ek dit in die Vetkoek
kommersiële resep gebruik het.
© RS Young, 2017
Spicy,
3 Pepper Chicken
Sometimes
it becomes necessary to grab your taste palette by the mutton chops and deliver
a brisk head butt with the too late warning: “Curve ball, Sucker!” Just to
remind those lethargic taste buds of exactly why they are given a free ride
every day . . .
This
recipe probably causes cemeteries full of Haute
Cuisine Chefs to slowly turn n their graves like crispy lambs on a slow
spit. It is an unholy adulteration of that classic old war horse: Steak au poivre. That we additionally
engage in incestuous relations with Beouf Stroganoff – with a chicken, of all
things – is damningly unforgiveable.
Alas. . . No Pepper steak pie can hold a
candle to this number. It was severely popular amongst male customers, in particular,
when Fat Cake ( Vetkoek ) was still
my bread and butter. Here it is reproduced in a somewhat watered down format,
since not every one is capable of facing down the eye watering, sinus purging
pungency of the original, commercial recipe. But, it is the intensity of the
freshly ground spices that actually causes this recipe to ‘work’ (without a
chilli burn element).
A
word regarding the choice of wine for this dish: a young, stroppy Shiraz or a
difficult, red zinfandel is about the only choices here. Also try a recent
Spanish Rioja or an Italian Chianti (although, these sometimes tend to be ‘watery’).
Heavy pigmentation, lots of tannins & phenolics and high alcohol content
are required to successfully withstand the pepper onslaught.
Recipe
yields:
|
Preparation
time?:
|
3 – 4 Portions
|
± 60 minutes
|
Special
Equipment Required:
Electrical
coffee bean grinder or mortar & pestle
Medium
sized sieve
Flat
bottomed wok pan
Ingredients:
Medium sized onions, thinly
sliced
|
2
|
Sunflower oil
|
30
ml
|
Sugar
|
15
ml
|
Chicken breast fillets, no
skin & deboned
|
500
g
|
White mushrooms, thickly
sliced
|
250
g
|
Chicken stock
|
125
ml
|
Spice Mix:
|
|
Salt
|
7.5
ml
|
Whole black pepper corns
|
7.5
ml
|
Whole allspice berries ( pimenton )
|
5
ml
|
Whole Sichuan pepper corns
|
2.5
ml
|
Bay leaves
|
5
|
Optional: Fine white pepper
|
5
ml
|
Fresh cream
|
45
ml
|
Corn flour ( Maizena )
|
7.5
ml
|
Optional: Finely grated lemon peel
|
5
ml
|
Method:
1.
Mix all the ingredients of the Spice
Mix in an electrical coffee bean grinder or a mortar & pestle. Pulse
the spices in the grinder for approximately 30 – 45 seconds. Sift the ground
spices. Return the unground spices that remained behind in the sieve to the
grinder and repeat the grinding step. Repeat for a third time if any rough bits
remain in the sieve. Discard any solids remaining in the sieve after the third grinding
step. Cover the ground spices and keep aside until needed.
If
using a mortar & pestle: Wrap a dry tea towel around the mortar to prevent
small pieces of spice escaping and becoming lost during the grinding steps. The
abrasion from the salt crystals will assist in the efficiency of the grinding process.
2.
Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips parallel to the grain of the
muscle fibers, Stroganoff style. Set aside, covered, until needed.
3. Sauté the onions and oil in
the wok over medium heat until soft
and translucent. Add the sugar and caramelise well. Remove and keep aside until
needed.
4. Stir fry the chicken strips
over medium high heat until it starts to brown. Remove and keep with the
onions. Add a little extra oil if the strips stick to the pan.
5. Sauté the mushrooms over high
heat until brown and leathery. Use extra oil if the mushrooms appear to char
instead of fry.
6. Adjust the heat to low and pour
the chicken stock into the pan along with the browned mushrooms. Scrape the pan
thoroughly to lift any solids sticking the bottom and sides of the pan.
7. Mix the cream and corn flour
and add it along with the Spice Mix to the pan. Stir frequently and heat until
the contents start to simmer and the sauce thickens. Simmer for a further ± 3
minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
8. Return the chicken strips and
onions to the pan and the sauce. Mix well and serve immediately.
Comments:
· For the masochists among us: Remember to add that ground
white pepper to the Spice Mix for a
properly sadistic experience.
· Sichuan pepper is readily available from traders specializing
in Chinese cuisine ingredients. Double the quantity of bay leaves if Sichuan
pepper proves difficult to find.
· Serve this dish over fusilli pasta along with a tomato, onion
and cut corn salsa to tame the worst
of the excitement.
Sichuan pepper
Also known as Szechuan pepper or
Chinese coriander. It is a popular ingredient in the cuisines of China, Tibet,
Nepal and India. In South Africa, we know it as an ingredient of the popular
Chinese five-spice powder mixture.
The spice has a prominent floral
character with a slight, lemony undertone. The smell strongly reminds of bougainvillea
flowers on a hot summers day coupled with a hint of potpourri. It does not
present a chili ‘burn’, but numbs the mouth slightly and causes a tingly ‘buzz’
in the mucal membranes.
It is this slight numbing that Sichuan
pepper causes that creates the opportunity to significantly increase the pungent
spice load of any dish without seemingly going ‘overboard’. Precisely the reason
why I used it in the Vetkoek commercial recipe.
© RS Young, 2017
