Prawn Paste Chicken (Har Cheong Gai)
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Prawn Paste Chicken (also known as fermented shrimp paste chicken or “har cheong gai“/虾酱鸡) is one of my favourite local zi char dish. The main ingredient for the chicken marinade is prawn paste (shrimp paste) which is truly “smelly”, pungent and will stink up your kitchen (you have been warned!) – yet it lends such a genius touch of savoury deliciousness to many South East Asian dishes that my pantry is never without it!
Related Recipe:
See Also:
- Baked Marmite Chicken Wings Recipe
- Fermented Bean Curd Chicken Wings Recipe
- More Chicken Wings Recipes
I usually add a teeny bit to certain stir-fries such as pineapple fried rice and it became a hidden secret ingredient which brings together all the flavours of the dish. A plus point of home-cooked version of har cheong gai is that you know the vegetable oil used is clean and always changed after each round of deep frying.
Prawn Paste (Shrimp Paste) 虾酱
Prawn Paste Chicken Recipe
For best results, marinade the chicken wings over night in the fridge for the chicken to fully absorb the marinade.
Ingredients:
- 500 grams chicken wings cut at the joint (or use drumlettes/mid-joints)
- 1/2 cup corn flour (corn starch)
- vegetable oil (for deep frying) enough to submerge the chicken
Marinade (A)
- 1 1/2 tbsp prawn/shrimp paste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp ginger juice grate some ginger & squeeze the pulp
- 1/4 tsp oyster sauce (or light soy sauce)
- 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
Directions:
- In a bowl, combine the marinade ingredients (A) until a paste is formed. Marinade the chicken with the sauce for at least an hour or overnight in the fridge.
- Just before deep-frying, add corn flour to the marinade chicken. Stir to coat evenly, until the flour is dissolved completely into the marinade and forms a sticky coat on the chicken.
- Heat oil in a wok or pot to about 180°C (356°F). Deep fry in batches for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown, turning once half way. During the last minute of deep-frying, turn the heat up slightly to allow the chicken to crisp well. Drain excess oil on paper towels before serving.