Tag: cantonese cooking
Paper Wrapped Chicken (Ji Bao Gai) That’s a Wrap! 纸包鸡

Paper Wrapped Chicken (Ji Bao Gai) That’s a Wrap! 纸包鸡

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This is another dish from the hubster that lands on the favorite list for all three kids and me, Paper-wrapped chicken (纸包鸡) aka Foil-wrapped chicken. Wes learned how to make Ji Bao Gai from his mom during medical school. It’s a dish rarely found in restaurants, a true Cantonese down-home dish.  So, if he wanted foil-wrapped chicken, he had to learn how to make it and that’s exactly what he did.

Cantonese Soul Food (Ji Bao Gai 纸包鸡)

Bite-sized pieces of chicken or beef are marinated in hoisin, sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a touch of sugar. The chicken is then wrapped in foil or parchment into little packets and baked or fried. Think, mini Asian papillotes. The foil locks in the juices and infuses the chicken with flavor. Half the fun is unwrapping each packet and popping each tasty morsel in your mouth. In our house, it’s a race to see who eats the most packets.

This is Where I Come In

Things have come full circle from Wes’s mom teaching him to Wes now teaching the kids. “Dad, how do I make Ji Bao Gai, how do you fold the packets, where’s the recipe?” Whenever they want to make Ji Bao Gai they call Wes (maybe it’s a sweet ploy to talk to us, lol).  They have yet to write the recipe down. All I can say is aiyah 🤦🏻‍♀️.  I guess it must be time to post it on 3Jamigos.  Now the kids don’t have to call each time they want to make a batch.

The Ingredients (as pictured in the banner photo)

Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs are perfect for this recipe as they remain juicy and tender, or use chicken breast if you like, but decrease the cooking time a bit.
Marinade: Contains Hoisin, and Chee Hou, umami-filled sauces made from soybeans, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry), sesame oil, and a touch of sugar. Add minced garlic and ginger for that extra zing.
Aromatics: Green onions and a few slices of fresh lemon for a hint of citrus.

Optional: Add sliced water chestnuts for texture.  Sprig of cilantro.

Foil: Use regular (Reynold’s)  aluminum foil to create the perfect cooking pouch is fine. Cut into 6” x 6” squares.

Riff:  Works with beef, use flank steak or skirt steak sliced thinly against the grain.

Prep, prep, prep your stuff

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken
Start by cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, minced garlic, and ginger. Toss the chicken pieces in this flavorful marinade, ensuring each piece is well coated. Cover and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but for the best results, let it sit for 2-3 hours.

Step 2: Wrap It Up
Cut the aluminum foil into square sheets, roughly 6×6 inches. Regular-weight foil is fine.  Place 2 pieces (if pieces are small, use 3) of chicken in the center of each foil sheet. Add a slice of green onion and water chesnut or a sprig of cilantro (optional).  Fold the foil over the chicken, then fold the open edges over together, approximately 1/8  inch, twice, thereby creating a nice seal and ensuring no juices escape during baking.  Try to eliminate as much air from the packet as you fold.

Step 3: Bake to Perfection
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Arrange the foil-wrapped chicken parcels on a baking sheet. Bake for 9 minutes, then flip packets and bake for 4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. The foil will puff up slightly as the chicken cooks, creating a steamy environment that keeps the meat juicy and flavorful.  In the good old days, the packets were deep-fried.  This created a crispier exterior on the chicken.  For crispier edges, bake at 400 degrees for about the same amount of time.

I would have taken a nicer photo except the kids ate them all before I could.

Step 4: Unwrap and Enjoy
Once done, remove the parcels from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes. Carefully open the foil, allowing the fragrant steam to escape. Serve the chicken with a side of steamed rice and your favorite vegetables.  Make sure to open the packets over your bowl or plate of rice to catch the drips of sauce.  Yum.

Tips for Success

Marinate for 2-3 hours, not much longer as the chicken will get too salty.
Sealing the Foil: Seal the foil tightly to prevent juice from escaping.
Experiment: Don’t be afraid to add your twist to the marinade. A dash of chili sauce or a sprinkle of fresh herbs can add a new dimension to the dish.

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Foil Wrapped Chicken: A Flavor-Packed Journey in Your Kitchen

This is a classic Cantonese Dish. Bite-sized pieces of chicken are marinated in a sweet-salty sauce, wrapped in paper or foil and cooked. Traditionally, the packets were fried, but baking as become the technique of choice.
Course dinner, One dish meals
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American, cantonese
Keyword cantonese cuisine, chee hou, hoisin, Paper-wrapped chicken
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2-3 Chicken breasts although we prefer thighs or thighs 4-5

Marinade

  • 3 tablespoons Chee Hou Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons whiskey (Seagrams) or Shao Xing Wine
  • 1 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 Green Onions diced

Instructions

  • Debone chicken and cut into small pieces.
  • Mix in ingredients and marinate for at least two hours. Wrap in foil to create a closed packet.
  • Deep fry medium-high heat around 1 minute until the chicken packets float OR
  • Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, flip and bake another 5 minutes
Scrambled Eggs and Beef over Rice (The Slippery Slope of Waat Dan Fan)

Scrambled Eggs and Beef over Rice (The Slippery Slope of Waat Dan Fan)

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Waat Dan Fan (滑蛋飯) is one of my absolute all-time favorite down-home Cantonese dishes.  The literal translation is Slippery Egg Rice.  This version includes beef so it’s called Waat Dan Gnow Yuk Fan (滑蛋牛肉飯).  Although it comes together quickly, it can be a little tricky to get the texture of the eggs right.  Don’t let that put you off though, it is well worth it.  It may take a couple of tries, as it did with me, but the return is HUGE.  You will be rewarded with a homey, satisfying, tasty dish of stir-fried beef nestled in a pool of silky, scrambled-swirled eggs flavored with scallions and ginger.  Soooooo good!  真好吃!

Don’t Slip Up on the Mise on Place

  • Everyone thinks stir-frying is quick and easy, although the cooking portion is quick, it’s the prep that takes time. Everything has to be ready for the stir-frying to look effortless.  This dish is no egg-ception.
  • Slice and marinate your beef and put it in a bowl to the side.  Note, the oil in the marinade goes in last AFTER the beef has sat for 15-20 minutes and absorbed the marinade.
  • Crack your eggs into a bowl and whisk them with a pinch of salt.  Set it near the beef and close to the stove.
  • Slice your green onions and set them aside.
  • Have your 1/2 cup of stock to which you have added the sugar and salt along with the slurry of cornstarch and water ready.
  • Place the prepped ingredients next to the stove.

You’ll thank me

This is a classic Cantonese dish, the epitome of soul food.  I love serving it in a bowl with a spoon. Looking for a vegetarian rift? Try Tomato & Egg Rice.  Enjoy!

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5 from 1 vote

Hong Kong Style Slippery Eggs and Beef on Rice

Classic Cantonese dish that comes together in minutes, Slippery Egg and Stir Fried Beef Over Rice
Course homestyle, Main Course, soul food
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Cantonese cooking, egg, plate rice, Slippery beef
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces Flank steak, flat iron or sirloin, thinly sliced
  • 2 large eggs can use extra large or jumbo
  • 1/2 cup water or chicken stock (low sodium)
  • 2 tbsp sliced green onions
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • peanut oil
  • 1 tsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water MIx in a small bowl and set aside

Mainade for Beef

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1-2 slices fresh ginger, julienned
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • dash of white pepper
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp water

Serve over hot rice or rice noodles

  • 2-3 cups of steamed white rice

Instructions

  • Slice the beef to 0.2 mm thick, add the marinade ingredients except for the oil, marinade for 20 minutes. As the beef sits it will absorb alot of the water. Add oil after the beef has sat. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, beat eggs with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add beef, stir-fry until it is no longer pink. Remove the beef and set aside. If beef has a lot of liquid, pour it into a strainer placed over a bowl to drain.
  • Pour the broth or water into the pan used to stir-fry the beef, add salt and sugar, and bring it to a boil.
  • Add the cornstarch water mix, and bring to a boil again. The mixture will thicken to a thin sauce consistency. Lower the heat to medium-low.
  • Pour the eggs into the sauce in a stream moving around the pan. Let it set a bit and then stir gently to allow eggs to continue to cook and set a bit more. It will still be very loose and the stock slurry will still be visible.
  • Add the beef and sliced scallions and cook for 30 seconds to one minute, stirring gently to blend the sauce and eggs. The mixture will be saucy.
  • Spoon cooked hot rice into shallow bowls large enough to hold 1-2 cups of rice. Pour the beef and egg mixture over the rice. Garnish with additional sliced scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Steamed Black Bean Spareribs-Microwave Magic

Steamed Black Bean Spareribs-Microwave Magic

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I am the happy owner of Anyday Cookware, a set of bowls designed for the microwave.  A podcast junkie, I am hooked on “All Things Chang”.  That is Dave Chang, chef, restauranteur, face, and creator of the Momofuku Empire.  He has waxed poetically about microwave cooking and I figure if it is good enough for him…why not?

What I really wanted to do was adapt well-loved dishes to the microwave.  Lucky me, dishes that I normally steam,  microwave beautifully.  Bonus, not only is the cooking time shortened, but the process is simplified.  No messing with steamer racks, or a large wok or pan to steam in.  You cook in the same bowl you use to prep the dish. How cool is that?  If you hate washing dishes like me, this is a HUGE.

I started with Steamed Eggs with Chinese Sausage and Mushrooms and was rewarded with a silky smooth custard in minutes.  A parade of down-home Chinese steamed dishes followed, Steamed Pork Patty, Steamed Chicken, Lop Cheung, and Mushrooms, and now, Steamed Black Bean Spareribs.

I adapted a recipe from the site Made with Lau.  Inspired to archive his chef father’s cooking, Randy Lau created Made with Lau featuring videos of his chef-father cooking classic Chinese dishes, in particular Cantonese dishes.

The Lowedown on Lau

His are the dishes of my childhood. The videos are easy to follow and more importantly, the recipes work.  His father speaks in Cantonese, so I get to brush up on my Chinese skills, while learning how to make a great dish, win-win!  My family is from the same region in China and listening to him feels like being home with my grandparents, aunties, and uncles.  Randy does a yeoman’s job translating his Dad’s cooking wisdom and his recipes into English.

The Wrap

After each cooking session, the family gathers around the table to enjoy the fruits of Daddy Lau’s labor.  They give the background and history of the dish and additional cooking tips.  It is the perfect way to round out each segment.  Made with Lau is a gem and I hope you check out their site.

The Dish

Black Bean Spareribs is a family favorite which until now, we only have when we are out for Dim Sum.  The spareribs are steamed with chilis, fermented black beans, which have lots of umami, and seasonings.   As soon as Made with Lau posted the video recipe I jumped at the chance to try it.  My biggest deviation was cooking it in the microwave instead of steaming.  Worked like a charm.

Use pork spareribs cut into bite-size pieces or you can cheat and use boneless pieces of pork.  Both are equally tasty.  Chinese markets carry ribs cut into 1-inch segments so if you are close to an Asian market go for it…don’t cut them yourself.  It’s a lot of trouble and invariably you will have shards of bone in the cut ribs-no fun. For boneless, use pork belly or pork butt for this dish.  It shouldn’t be too lean, the fat contributes both flavor and tenderness to the dish.

Fermented black beans can be found in Chinese grocery stores.  Salted and fermented black soybeans are pungent and full of umami.  A little goes a long way but it does keep well in the fridge.  There is a black bean sauce in a jar that might be a suitable sub, you would need to adjust for salt and some of the seasonings.  I haven’t tried it yet.

This is Cantonese soul food.  Serve with steaming bowls of rice and a green veggie dish like stir-fried pea sprouts.

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Steamed Black Bean Spareribs-Microwaved

Cantonese dish generally served at teahouse for Dim Sum. Microwaved instead of steamed! Fast, easy and delicious.
Course dim sum, Main Course, Muffins
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Black beans spareribs, Cantonese cooking, dim sum, steamed pork with black beans
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb spare ribs (baby back ribs) cut into 1-1.5 inch pieces or sub 1 lb. pork belly or pork butt cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch for rinsing ribs

Bowl 1

  • 0.50 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp water or low sodium chicken stock Add if using microwave to cook

Bowl 2

  • 1 tsp dried mandarin orange peel optional, small thumbnail sized piece
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tsp ginger minced

Bowl-3

  • 1 tbsp fermented dried black beans rinsed and dried, smooshed
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch for pork
  • 0.50 tsp vegetable oil

Garnish

  • red chili pepper, deseeded and deveined a few slices, optional
  • 2 green onions sliced

Instructions

  • Place our fermented black beans in a bowl, and rinse them under running water for 15-20 seconds. Gently massage the beans as you do this. Drain the water, and set the bowl aside to let the beans rehydrate for a couple of minutes then smoosh them with the back of a spoon. Set aside
    Soak orange peel in warm water, set aside for 10-15 min. Once soft, dice.
  • Slice red chili pepper and green onions. Set aside
  • Rinse and dry ribs and place in bowl. Add cornstarch to the ribs, and massage the ribs around to evenly mix the cornstarch around the surface of each rib.
  • Rinse the ribs in running water for 1 to 2 minutes, massaging the ribs as you go. Pour out all of the water, and press and squeeze the ribs against a colander to get rid of excess water.
  • Wrap the ribs in a thick paper towel, pressing and patting to absorb moisture.
  • Place ribs in a large microwavable bowl. Make marinade.
  • Combine salt, sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine in a small bowl. Mince garlic, ginger, orange peel, and add to a second bowl.
  • Add soy mixture and ginger-garlic mixture to bowl of ribs. Mix and massage the bowl of ribs well. Approximately 45-60 seconds to blend.
  • Add black beans to the bowl of ribs, mix well.
  • Add sesame oil and cornstarch. Mix the ribs to evenly coat each rib with cornstarch. Spread out evenly in bowl. Sprinkle chilis on top and drizzle with remaining 1/2 tbsp of oil. Cover with lid, open the vent on lid if it has one, or leave lid slightly ajar on bowl.
  • Microwave on full strength for 5 minutes. Remove, careful it's hot and stir mixture. If it seems dry or the sauce is too thick add 1-2 tablespoons of water or stock. Scatter green onions on top. Place lid back on and microwave for anouther4-5 minutes.
  • Remove from microwave and allow to stand for 30-60 seconds. Serve with lots of rice.

Notes

Heat wok on stove, placing a steamer rack in the center of the wok. Add enough boiled water so that it just barely covers the entire steamer rack.  Transfer the ribs into the plate you'll be steaming with, being careful not to let any ribs be covered by one another. Add the chili pepper slices, and pour vegetable oil on the ribs.
Cover the wok, set the stove to its highest heat setting, and steam the spare ribs for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, turn the heat off, uncover the wok, garnish with the green onions and serve.