GALINHA CHAU CHAU

Stir-fried chicken

Galinha Chau Chau from “Guilly” Canavarro Remedios

We have not yet tested this recipe. It is recorded here to allow experimentation and verification.

1 chicken (1½lb |680g) cut into pieces
3 spring onions, chopped
ginger the size of 20cents
about ½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp vinegar
1 tsp coliang chow Chinese wine if desired
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp lard

Scrape the ginger skin off and cut into very thin long strips. Put the lard in the pan and when it is hot add ginger and spring onions and fry till light brown, then add the turmeric and fry for 1 minute.

Add vinegar, followed immediately by the pieces of chicken, salt and a dash of pepper. Fry for about five mins, stirring occasionally then add about ¾ cup of water and simmer.

When done add wine.

Galinha Chau Chau Parida* from Maria Lourdes de Menezes Bayot, courtesy of Yvonne Husband

* This dish was once given to women after childbirth because it supposedly helped them to get their strength back (ref. Cecilia Jorge Macanese Cooking APIM, Macau 2004, p84)

1 cup sweet sherry
1 tbsp white vinegar
3tbsp turmeric
3 bay leaves and peppercorns
4 shallots, chopped (keeping the green and white parts separate)
1 large onion, chopped fine
25 mm (1 inch) ginger, chopped fine
1½ tsp cooking salt.

Prepare a marinade with the sherry, vinegar, turmeric, bay leaves and peppercorns. Marinate the prepared chicken overnight, turning at least twice before cooking.

Fry in a little oil the chopped onions, ginger, and white parts of the shallots until the onions are transparent.

Then add most of the marinade of the chicken (but not yet the bay leaves and peppercorns), salt and water. Bring to a boil.

Then lower the temperature and add in the chicken, the bay leaves and peppercorns, turning a few times.

Bring back to a boil and then simmer, covered approximately for 1½ hours or until chicken is cooked. Stir the chicken occasionally.

Remove the chicken when cooked and boil the sauce to reduce and thicken it a little.