Elephant garlic is not actually garlic, but a type of leek. It gets its name because the individual cloves of elephant garlic are so large that they can be as big as an entire head of regular garlic. It is available in many large supermarkets. Elephant garlic has a much milder and sweeter taste than regular garlic. It can be eaten raw as a garnish or in salads as it does not have the heat or 'bite' of regular raw garlic. It lends a very delicate garlic flavor to this dish.
This is a recipe where all ingredients are put into the wok in turn. The meat is not cooked and then removed, but remains in the wok until the entire dish is finished. Notice the elephant Garlic is the last ingredient added. That's because this type of garlic needs very little cooking time, and if it is cooked too long it looses its mild flavor and turns bitter.
Marinade:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 clove elephant garlic
2 green onions
1 small can baby ears of corn
1 stalk celery, cut on a diagonal
1/4-teaspoon sesame seed oil
1-tablespoon cornstarch
1/2-cup cold water or chicken broth
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Put into a bowl and add marinade ingredients, making sure chicken gets well coated. Let marinade for at least 20 minutes.
Peel elephant garlic cloves and slice very thinly. Cut green onions into one-inch pieces on the diagonal. Cut celery into thin pieces on the diagonal. Open and drain can of baby ears of corn.
Heat wok. Add peanut oil when wok is hot. When oil come to temperature, add chicken and stir-fry for two minutes. Then add green onions, corn and celery. Continue to stir-fry until chicken is done, about 2-3 minutes. Combine water, cornstarch and sesame seed oil in a bowl. Add mixture to wok. Add elephant garlic after cornstarch mixture. Cook until mixture thickens. Serve over rice or noodles.
This is a recipe where all ingredients are put into the wok in turn. The meat is not cooked and then removed, but remains in the wok until the entire dish is finished. Notice the elephant Garlic is the last ingredient added. That's because this type of garlic needs very little cooking time, and if it is cooked too long it looses its mild flavor and turns bitter.
Marinade:2 tablespoons dry sherry
Other ingredients:
2 halves boneless skinless chicken breasts1 clove elephant garlic
2 green onions
1 small can baby ears of corn
1 stalk celery, cut on a diagonal
1/4-teaspoon sesame seed oil
1-tablespoon cornstarch
1/2-cup cold water or chicken broth
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Put into a bowl and add marinade ingredients, making sure chicken gets well coated. Let marinade for at least 20 minutes.
Peel elephant garlic cloves and slice very thinly. Cut green onions into one-inch pieces on the diagonal. Cut celery into thin pieces on the diagonal. Open and drain can of baby ears of corn.
Heat wok. Add peanut oil when wok is hot. When oil come to temperature, add chicken and stir-fry for two minutes. Then add green onions, corn and celery. Continue to stir-fry until chicken is done, about 2-3 minutes. Combine water, cornstarch and sesame seed oil in a bowl. Add mixture to wok. Add elephant garlic after cornstarch mixture. Cook until mixture thickens. Serve over rice or noodles.
