Bok Bok, Batch…of Three Cup Chicken
Gung hay fat choy! Happy Lunar New Year! This is the Year of the Pig and in celebration of this, I spent the last week in Hong Kong with my boys-PIGGIN’ out. It has been years since I have been in Hong Kong and with Jordan living in nearby Korea, we decided a rendezvous was in order.
I walked off the plane and took a deep breath and instantly knew I was back in Asia. The scent that wafted through the air and surrounded me immediately transported me back to my first visit to Hong Kong so many years ago. An amalgam of daily life, food, incense, years of humanity all rolled into one.
Before I regale you with our travels in Hong Kong…let me tell you about our flight. It’s been a while since I have been on a flight that lasts 14 hours. AUUUGH! I don’t care if you are in First Class, Business, or Economy…it’s a LONG time to be cooped up in a plane. I did manage to catch 40 winks, watch a couple of movies, and pick through multiple cafeteria-like meals. The highlight was a bowl of instant ramen on the last leg of our journey. By then even the K-Movie I was watching knew how I felt.
One of the meal selections was Three Cup Chicken. I knew of this classic Taiwanese dish but have never had it. This peaked my curiosity so I made a mental note to try this dish when I got home.
A day of vegging out to get over my jet lag and I was ready to hunt down the recipe for Three Cup Chicken. The first thing I noticed was, though called 3 cup chicken, most recipes did not use those proportions. Thank goodness since that is a lot of sesame oil.
I decided on a mash-up from two of my go-to blogs, The Woks of Life and No Recipes. You can use bone-in pieces like chicken wings but the next time I think I will try boneless thighs. This dish is easy to prepare and lands on the dinner table in minutes…my kind of dish.
The soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine form the braising liquid but the addition of garlic, ginger and Thai basil really sets this dish apart. No wonder it’s a classic that has stood the test of time. One recipe called for a touch of sugar, sounded good, so I included it. If you like spice, throw in 1-2 Thai chili peppers for good measure.
The aromatics are heated in oil before adding the chicken. Brown the chicken and add the braising sauce. Simmer, turning the pieces occasionally. The sauce will reduce and coat the chicken creating a deep caramel color. Can you say yum? Finish with the basil and green onions. Be generous with your basil it adds a ton of flavor to the dish.
San Bei Ji(三杯鷄), or Three Cup Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 inch piece ginger sliced then julienned
- 6-8 cloves of garlic lightly crushed, but left whole
- 1 thai chili seeded and sliced crosswise optional
- 1.25 pounds boneless skin-on chicken thighs sub: 1.5 pounds chicken wings
- 1/4 cup Chinese rice wine mijiu or shaoxing
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves only
- 1-2 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat a large pan or wok until hot. Add the peanut oil then ginger and garlic (and chili if using). Fry until fragrant, but don't let it brown.
- Add the chicken in a single layer, skin-side down and fry until the skin is well browned.
- Flip the chicken over, and then add the rice wine, dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar.
- Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender, flipping the chicken over a few times as it cooks.
- Remove the lid and turn up the heat. Reduce the liquid into a thick sauce.
- Add the Thai basil leaves and toss to coat.
- Serve with rice.