Cook Sweet and Sour Chicken like Bonanza's Hop Sing

Now you can eat like a Cartwright!

Bet you didn't know that Victor Sen Yung published his own recipes! That's right... Bonanza's Hop Sing had his own cookbook full of instructions for wok cooking. 

Released in 1978, "Victor Sen Yung's Great Wok Cookbook" featured over 200 recipes he learned over the years. It even gave notes regarding Chinese customs and phrases, while also educating about the history of Chinese cooking in the United States. For those who might not know their way around a set of chopsticks, the book also included explanatory sections about Chinese utensils.

Here's one recipe from the book, as published in the Lincoln Journal Star:

Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 pound chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 Teaspoon MSG
1 Teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup flour
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Cup sweet pickles
1/2 Cup water
Oil for deep frying
1/2 Cup vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar

Combine MSG, soy sauce, and salt to form a marinade.
Blend flour and eggs into smooth batter. Marinate chicken for 15 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade and dip into batter mixture, coating it well on all sides. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Deep fry chicken in wok or skillet until golden brown. Drain and set aside. Drain oil from wok. Add vinegar and 1/3 cup water. Then add sugar and simmer until it dissolves. Remove the chicken to the mixture and stir-fry until sauce thickens.

Note: You may substitute 1 1/2 cups sliced celery, onion chunks and bell peppers for sweet pickles. 

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4 Comments

AlanRockman 5 months ago
Victor Sen Yung actually did open up a Chinese restaurant in a little shopping center in Walnut, California, just south of West Covina and the Mt. San Antonio College campus around 1971. My Mother was the office manager for the West Covina Chamber of Commerce and we were involved in helping Mr. Yung open up his restaurant.

The food was, as you might expected, QUITE DELICIOUS. Sadly I am quite sure it is no longer there, but correct me if it still is.
itsGretchen 5 months ago
In the recipe directions, I don't see when you use the pickles. Are they whole pickles? Chopped?
ncadams27 5 months ago
That amount is probably an appetizer for Hoss.
Runeshaper 5 months ago
Hop Sing for the wing! I mean, the win! (-:
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