Family Recipe 18 - Stir-fried Chicken Hearts

Ingredients: Chicken hearts, ginger, garlic, chili peppers, Thai basil, rice wine, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce Instructions: 1. Remove blood vessels and excess fat from chicken hearts, split them open, wash out internal blood clots, and marinate with rice wine to remove any gamey smell. 2. Bring water to a rolling boil, then maintain high heat. Blanch the chicken hearts for 30 seconds, then remove and set aside. 3. Slice ginger, garlic, and chili peppers into slivers. Wash Thai basil with water. 4. Heat oil in a wok. Sauté ginger, garlic, and chili peppers until fragrant. Add the blanched chicken hearts and stir-fry. 5. Season with rice wine, sugar, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Add a little water and simmer. 6. Reduce the sauce over high heat. Add Thai basil just before removing from heat. Adding water later is to prevent the chicken hearts from being undercooked. If the chicken hearts you bought are small, blanching and stir-frying might be sufficient, so you might not need to simmer them. Oyster sauce is dark in color and strong in flavor, so be mindful of the amount you add. Avoid adding salt when stir-frying chicken hearts, as salt can toughen the meat and affect the texture.