Bali Hai's Chicken of the Gods

To remind everyone, The Bali Hai's 50th anniversary is going on until June 3rd, "for every table (minimum of 2 per table) one person can select a 1954 special. Dinner only. No substitutions. Served Sunday through Thursday."

Chicken of the Gods, $3.95
Oyster Beef, $3.95
Sweet & Sour Chicken, $2.95

And to whet your appetite, The Bali Hai's Chicken of the Gods:

2 - 3 pounds of boneless chicken pieces
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp dry sherry
1 tsp soy sauce
a dash white pepper
8 oz chestnut flour (available at Asian markets)
oil for browning chicken
1/2 C butter
1/2 C flour
2 TBS cornstarch
4 C chicken stock
1 C cream
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Marinate the chicken in a mixture of egg, salt, sherry, soy sauce & pepper for 15 - 20 mins. Remove & coat each piece with chestnut flour.

Heat oil in a large skillet & brown the chicken, cooking until heated through.

Melt the butter over med heat & blend in the flour & cornstarch, stirring constantly to form a roux. in a saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Add the stock slowly to the roux, stirring rapidly. Continue stirring until combined & thickened. Reduce the heat & add the cream, adding salt & pepper to taste.

Cut the chicken into neat slices & arrange then on a hot platter. Cover the chicken with the cream sauce. Sprinke the sesame seeds over the top.

Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S

[ Edited by: freddiefreelance on 2004-05-17 19:21 ]

Dr. FFL - I saw that recipe in last weeks Union Tribune Food Section & I was gonna cut it out and save it but it got tossed before I had a chance. Thanks for posting it. I love that stuff and would like to try my hand at making it at home. The last time we went to Bali Hai I had the Oyster Beef (also @ the anniversary special price) and would highly recommend that as well.

That's exactly where I found it, my wife cut it out for me & it's currently posted on the side of my PC monitor (since all my cookbooks are in storage). I still wasn't certain where to post recipes, but I figured that I'd combine this with the reminder of the 50th aniversary deal & post it here.

I also found some new info about the origins of the Bali Hai & a picture of the Goof & added them to Locating Tiki.

Just a bump to say the 50th Anniversary special's been extended through August first.

Excuse my ignorance, but where is Bali Hai located?

-Pharos

Pharos
The Bali Hai in this thread is in San Diego, CA

Can someone confirm if the chestnut flour mentioned in the recipe is actually water chestnut flour. I would like to try the recipe and want to make sure I get the ingredients correct. Thanks.

On 2004-12-21 09:42, Frozen Maine Tiki wrote:
Can someone confirm if the chestnut flour mentioned in the recipe is actually water chestnut flour. I would like to try the recipe and want to make sure I get the ingredients correct. Thanks.

Yep, that's Water Chestnut Flour, also known as Water Chestnut Powder. It's made from ground dried water chestnuts, it's used as a thickener like cornstarch or for dredging prior to frying like flour.

Thanks :)

Not to knock the Bali Hai here, but isn't this recipe just starch fried chicken with gravy? Now I'm not knocking the recipe here either, so please read on...

Arguably aside from the sesame seed garnish and the soy sauce in the marinade, there is little in the way of exotic flavoring or technique that would make this recipe stand out to me amongst others. I'm all for the authentic recipes, and realize that fifties America spawned this creation, but there are still more exotic recipes out there from the era.

So this begs the question to those who praised this culinary delight: Out of all the recipes they would choose to write up in the paper, why this one?

Is it the water chesnut starch (which shouldn't differ much from corn starch in this application)?

What gives?

Ku Ku

[ Edited by: Ku Ku Ahu on 2004-12-21 15:15 ]

WHO DARE QUESTION THE GREAT TIKI GOD! (Quaking and thunder) :wink: hee-hee!