1. Skin and bone chicken; then mince or grind as fine as possible. Blend to a smooth paste with stock and salt.

2. Beat egg whites until frothy and stiff, but not dry; then fold in chicken mixture.

3. Heat oil to smoking. Add chicken-egg mixture, then remove pan from heat at once and stir briskly a few times. Return pan to stove and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until mixture is firm, but not browned. Serve at once, either by itself, or on a bed of spinach (which has been separately stir-fried).

must be eaten immediately because its fine, firm texture will not keep.

1. In step 1, mince 1 tablespoon ham fat with the chicken. Increase the stock to 1/2 cup.

2. In step 1, while mincing the chicken, add 3 tablespoons water, a few drops at a time. Then blend in the salt, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon sherry. (Omit the stock.)

3. In step 1, instead of mincing the chicken, cut it in 1/2-inch wide strips. In step 2, add the salt to the egg whites along with 1 tablespoon sherry and 1 tablespoon water; then beat. (Omit the stock.) Fold chicken strips into mixture and pick up step 3.

4. In step 3, add to the heating oil 1 scallion stalk, cut in 1-inch sections and 3 slices fresh ginger root, shredded; stir-fry a few times, then add chicken-egg mixture.

5. In step 3, after removing the pan from the heat, stir the chicken-egg mixture slowly until it begins to form lumps. Then transfer to a colander and drain off the oil. Meanwhile blend to a paste 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons sherry and 2 tablespoons cold water. In a pan, heat 5 tablespoons stock; then stir in the cornstarch paste to thicken. Add the drained chicken-egg mixture and cook gently, stirring 2 minutes more.

From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, Isbn 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's Mm Recipe Archive, http://www. Erols. Com/hosey.