eglamkowski's Journal: slashdot cookbook

Today's dish is a good center dish for a big meal. And it's pretty easy to make, too! Braised chicken legs in a lotus shape.

12 chicken drumsticks
3 tomatoes
1 cup fresh milk
1 egg
1 egg white
lard or vegetable oil
12 vegetable hearts (miniature chinese white cabbage) or bok choy
pinch of salt
grated lemon rind

Seasoning/stock:
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
3 slices fresh ginger
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

-Use a sharp knife to cut around the chicken bones to where the meat begins to be fleshy. Scrape the skin completely away from the lower part of the bone, leaving it exposed.

-Arrange the chicken drumsticks in a wide flat saucepan. Mix the seasoning/stock ingredients together and pour over the drumsticks. Bring almost to the boil, then simmer gently for about 45 minutes until the drumsticks are very tender and the sauce reduced to a syrupy glaze.

-Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water (~1 minute), then skin (the skin should just fall right off, really). Cut each into large wedges and trim away the pulp and seeds to leave pointed petal shpes. Set aside.

-Lightly beat the milk and eggs together. Stir-fry in a wok in a little lard or oil over gentle heat until thickened. Set aside, keeping warm.

-In another wok, stir-fry the vegetable hearts in a little oil or lard, adding a pinch of salt. Pour in 1 tablespoon of water, cover and steam until tender. Life out and arrange on a round serving plate, placing the drumsticks between each piece of vegetable.

-In the centre of the platter, mound the fried egg, and then place the tomato "petals" in a lotus flower shape in the egg and sprinkle the centre of the "flower" with a little grated lemon rind.

-Spoon any remaining sauce over the drumsticks and serve.