Chestnuts and Kidneys

Unusual Ingredients

Chestnuts and Kidneys
Ingredients:
1 pair pork, beef, or veal kidneys, separated and all white tissue/veins removed
1 teaspoon salt, coarse-grain preferred
1/2 pound peeled cooked chestnuts
1/2 teaspoon salt, coarse-grain preferred
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine
1 Tablespoon thin soy sauce
1 Tablespoons corn oil
3 slices fresh ginger, each cut in quarters
1 carrot, peeled and angle-cut into one-inch sections
2 Tablespoons water chestnut flour and 1 Tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 Tablespoons cold water
Preparation:
1. Wash kidney halves in two or three changes of tepid water, then rub them with the teaspoon of coarse salt, and rinse thoroughly. Next with a small sharp knife, make shallow cross-hatched cuts on the smooth outside of each kidney, do not cut through.
2. Blanch chestnuts for five minutes in boiling water, and drain. 3. Mix kidney pieces with half-teaspoon salt, the sugar, rice wine, sesame oil, and the soy sauce and set it aside for ten minutes. Then drain and reserve the liquid.
4. Heat corn oil and stir-fry the ginger and carrots for five minutes. Then add the drained chestnuts and stir-fry another two minutes before adding the drained liquid from the kidneys and two cups of boiling water. Reduce the heat and simmer for half an hour.
5. Add half the flour mixture and stir. If the liquid seems too thin, incorporate as much of the rest of the flour mixture, as needed making a reasonably thick sauce. Then add the kidneys, cover and almost boil for two minutes, then serve.

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