This recipe is a result of me deciding to enhance the Bok Choy Stir Fry II recipe to create a complete meal, ergo this enhanced dish with chicken and shrimp is served over basmati or jasmine rice.
My intent was to add chicken and shrimp plus additional vegetables, and especially to intensify the flavors by generous use of Chinese sauces, etc., both in a marinade and later as a sauce served over the completed stir fry.
Wow, did I ever have success! I guess I've learned enough about Chinese cooking to become a bit creative.
We both win from this experiment for now you will be able to make this dish ... and I surely know you and your guests will be quite pleased.
Enough bragging! Let's get on with what actually matters ... this recipe serves four adults generously.
Ingredients A: (Chicken, Shrimp, Vegetables, dry seasonings, oil, water, rice)
3/4 lb. of diced cooked boneless skinless chicken breast
3/4 lb. of small shelled cleaned raw shrimp (70 shrimp/lb.)
1 lb. or larger head of bok choy
1 large red bell pepper cleaned and cut into 12 chunks
2 medium size carrots, cleaned and then shaved with a potato peeler, shavings chopped into fourths
20 long stems of fresh chives, washed and cut into 2" long pieces
5 large cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
5 thin slices of fresh ginger
1 tsp. of sea salt
1 tsp. of sugar
1/4 tsp. of ground white pepper
5 tbsp. of canola oil or peanut oil, divided
1/4 cup of water
2 cups of uncooked basmati or jasmine rice (to be steamed)
Ingredients B: (Marinade)
2 tbsp. of Shaoxing wine
2 tbsp. of Oyster sauce
2 tbsp. of light soy sauce
Ingredients C: (Sauce)
4 tbsp. of oyster sauce
3 tbsp. of honey
4 tsp. of light soy sauce
1 tbsp. of toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup of water
2 tsp. of cornstarch
Directions:
Cut lengthwise in half and then lightly boil the chicken breasts in water for 20 minutes. Rinse them in cold water and wipe away any albumin. Cut away and discard any portions that are not light white/pink flesh. Cut the breast pieces on a wood cutting board roughly into cubes about 1/2" on a side. Set the diced chicken aside in a bowl.
Wash the raw shrimp in cold water and drain them in a sieve, then set them aside in a bowl.
Make/mix the marinade using the ingredients shown in "B" in a two quart bowl. Add the diced chicken and mix it with the marinade. Add the raw shrimp and mix it in with the chicken and the marinade. Put the chicken, the shrimp and the marinade into a one or two quart Ziploc® freezer bag, expel the air and seal the bag. Let the fowl/seafood sit in the marinade on a counter for two hours, turning the bag over every 20 minutes.
Steam the rice. Bring one quart of water to a boil on high heat in a large saucepan, then mix in the two cups of uncooked rice. Cover the saucepan and move it to a very small gas burner on the lowest heat setting. Let the rice steam for 15 minutes, then remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit for five minutes. Remove the saucepan lid and dispense the steamed rice into a two quart container, then put a lid on the container and set the rice aside in a 160 degrees F warming oven.
Pre-warm a three quart serving bowl and individual dinner plates or wide, shallow bowls for your guests in the warming oven.
Heat 2 tbsp. of canola oil or peanut oil in the wok on high heat until it begins to smoke. Stir fry the chicken and shrimp, including the marinade, for two to three minutes to cook the shrimp. Remove the wok contents to a bowl and clean the wok. Set the bowl of chicken and shrimp aside in the warming oven.
Bring all of the Ingredients in "C" to a boil in a small saucepan with stirring, then turn the heat to low and let the mixture thicken briefly with stirring (one or two minutes) to turn it into a uniform sauce. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set the sauce aside, covered, in the warming oven.
Cut the base from the bok choy, 1/2" from the bottom. Separate the stems and cut the bok choy leaves away from the stems. Wash both well in cold water to remove any/all dirt.
Cut the stems into 1" long sections on a side to side diagonal. Cut the leaves into pieces 2" long.
Note: You are going to partially stir fry the stems first, and then stir fry the leaves separately, and then combine them to complete the stir frying.
Combine the salt, sugar and white pepper in a small cup and mix them briefly with a spoon. Set the cup aside.
Heat 2 tbsp. of the canola oil or peanut oil in the wok on medium heat for two to three minutes.
Sauté the coarsely chopped garlic and thin slices of ginger over low heat with gentle stirring until the mixture is fragrant, about two minutes.
Add the bok choy stems and stir-fry the mixture over high heat. Add 2 tbsp. of water early during stir frying.
Stir-fry until the bok choy stems are tender-crisp (still completely white in color). This will take no more than two minutes.
Remove the partially stir fried stems, garlic and ginger to a bowl.
Add one or two tablespoons of water if the wok bottom is dry. Otherwise simply continue with the next recipe steps.
Add the bok choy leaves and stir fry them over high heat until they start to wither. That will take no more than one minute.
Remove the bok choy leaves to a bowl.
Heat one tablespoon of canola oil or peanut oil in the wok on high heat until the oil shimmers. Then add the red bell pepper pieces and the shaved carrot pieces and stir fry them for two minutes.
Return the partially cooked bok choy stems and the garlic and ginger and bok choy leaves (and any accompanying liquid) to the wok.
Add the chopped chives to the wok.
Add the pieces of chicken and shrimp to the wok and stir the wok contents well.
Continue stir-frying over high heat for two to three minutes, but do not overcook the bok choy stems. That will take no longer than two to three minutes.
Season the bok choy mixture all over the surface with the salt, sugar and pepper mixture.
Transfer the stir fried bok choy, chicken and shrimp mixture to the pre-warmed serving bowl.
Pour the sauce on top of the serving bowl contents evenly.
Serve the stir fried bok choy, chicken and shrimp dish on the pre-warmed guest dinner plates or wide bowls, over rice, while the stir fry is hot.
Enjoy!