‘Hunger Pan’ stars Kevin and Jeffrey Pan share family recipes in cookbook

Hong Kong Style Portuguese Chicken

Serve Four

total time: 1 hour, then refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes

For Cantonese kids, this is mac and cheese, a cornerstone of childhood in Hong Kong: the dish you beg your parents to make for you on weeknights, the dish you order at the diner as a teenager, a dish that’s so comforting and so good value, and the first dish you learn to make for your kids after you become a parent, so easy to make and so deliciously delicious.

What we call Portuguese chicken (with apologies to the country of Portugal) is actually a thoroughly Macanese dish. Portugal’s role in the cuisine comes from its former colonization of Macau, a prized piece of land just a 45-minute boat ride west of Hong Kong. The Portuguese brought ingredients to the region, including potatoes, coconut milk, and curry powder, which were culinary trophies of their expanding empire.

Hong Kong’s version of Macau’s Portuguese chicken is the epitome of fusion cuisine. Marinated chicken thighs are simmered in a creamy curry sauce with coconut, topped with Parmesan cheese and grilled until charred and crispy on top. Kids and adults alike can’t resist the sauce and chicken served over rice. After my family immigrated to Canada, I fell in love with the dish, and my mom started incorporating Portuguese chicken into her meal planner every Wednesday. Now that I’m a father of growing boys, I plan to do the same.

-Kevin

material

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (separated)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons ginger juice
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons of Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt (separately), to add to boiling potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (optional)
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound small red potatoes, unpeeled and halved
• 1 small onion (halved and thinly sliced)
• 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
• 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
• 2 cups canned concentrated cream of chicken soup
• 3 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese (grated, ½ cup)

Instructions

1. Combine 1 tablespoon oil, cornstarch, ginger juice, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, pepper, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bouillon powder (if using) in a large bowl, add chicken and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

2. Add 1 inch of water to a large pot to cover the potatoes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer until a paring knife is inserted easily into center of potato with no resistance, 5 to 70 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside.

3. Heat an empty 14-inch flat-bottom wok over high heat until smoking. Reduce heat to medium and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons oil around the side of the wok and heat until smoking. Add the onion and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add the chicken with the marinade and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, coconut milk, and concentrated broth and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened and begun to coat the chicken. Remove from heat and stir in the evaporated milk.

5. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler. Transfer chicken and sauce to a 13 x 9 inch broiler-safe baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the Parmesan is speckled brown. Serve.

Jeffrey’s XOSauce

make 2 ½ cups

total time: 1 hour, then refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes

XO sauce is the best advertisement Hennessy Cognac could ever hope for. There’s no cognac in this incredibly flavorful seafood relish. The name XO comes from Hong Kongers’ association of Hennessy with luxury, and the condiment can be tricky to make (it could have been called Rolex sauce). XO sauce goes well with noodles, rice, or any dish that could use an umami knuckle sandwich. Think of it as a seafood version of bacon jam. This recipe calls for shredded dried scallops, so smaller, less expensive scallops are probably the best choice – unless, of course, you can afford Hennessy XO Cognac.

material

• 2½ ounces (½ cup) dried scallops, washed
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 ½ ounces dried shrimp, washed and chopped
• 2 ½ ounces dried radish julienne, washed and chopped
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• Shallot (finely chopped)
• Thai chili peppers (stems and seeds removed, finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon black bean garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

1. Combine scallops, 2 cups water, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and white pepper in a bowl. Cover and microwave to steam (approximately 7 minutes). Set aside until scallops are tender (approximately 10 minutes). Remove scallops from bowl with a fork and discard water. Shred scallops into small pieces.

2. Add scallops, shrimp, and daikon to a 14-inch flat-bottom wok and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes, then transfer to a bowl.

3. Add the vegetable oil, shallots, and Thai chili to the empty wok and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the shallots are soft, about 2 minutes. Add the black bean garlic sauce, chili garlic sauce, and oyster sauce, stir and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the scallop mixture and sugar, stir and reduce heat to a simmer, and sauté until flavors are combined, about 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool completely, then set aside for about 30 minutes before serving. (The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.)