sesame oil Archives

Bok Bok, Batch…of Three Cup Chicken

By threejamigos | February 12, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

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.

The chicken is browned in the ginger, garlic infused oil.

Isn’t that a lovely color? Serve with steamed rice and veggies. The perfect meal.

So delicious. Don’t tell Cathay Pacific, but this version of 3 Cup Chicken is so much better than theirs!

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San Bei Ji(三杯鷄), or Three Cup Chicken

Taiwanese dish made by cooking chicken with sesame oil, soy sauce and rice wine.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword 3 Cup Chicken

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings 4

Calories 460kcal

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.

Ginger & Scallion Noodles Parts Unknown & Sauces Unknown

By threejamigos | September 13, 2015 | Comments 2 comments

I am hooked on Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown.

I just started watching it on Netflix. It’s not just about food, everything is fair game; history, lifestyle (check out the Tokyo episode), politics, culture. If you have a chance watch the episode on Shanghai. Shanghai has become the city of the future, a financial hub, and global powerhouse, it is the juggernaut that defines China today. While in college, I was lucky enough to visit Shanghai. We spent a couple of days in this fabled port city. Though ravaged by years of occupation and then isolation, even then it felt like Shanghai was ready to embrace the outside world and the future. I watched Mr. Bourdain’s episode and realized it had all come to pass.

Shanghai Then

We strolled down to the Yangtze River and by the time we arrived at the riverfront we had attracted a crowd of people easily 10 deep. The crowd was eager to practice speaking English with us. Others gawked at the strange way we were dressed. Bicycles not cars flooded the streets and everyone wore brown or blue pants and white shirts (vestiges of life under Mao). Stores and restaurants were run by the government, only tourist were allowed. If I invited anyone for dinner they still turned in their ration coupons even though I had paid for the meal.

Not a MickeyD’s, Starbucks, or Pizza Hut in Sight

Back then, it was hard to imagine that China would become the political & economic heavyweight it is today. The Shanghai featured in Parts Unknown was unrecognizable. Where once stood old provincial buildings built by countries that had occupied China, there are now modern high-rises. Cars have replaced bicycles and proletariat clothes have given way to the latest fashion trends. Gone are the state-run stores, replaced by Prada, Fendi, and Starbucks.

Fine wines and haute cuisine are part of the China of today but thankfully street markets and sidewalk stalls selling down-home food like dumplings and noodles still exist. Stir-fried Noodles with Ginger and Scallions are a mainstay of not only Chinese street food but a dish made at home.

I learned how to make this from my father. Julienned ginger, scallions, and minced garlic are sizzled in hot oil to impart their flavors. Make the sauce next – combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, wine, sesame oil, and reserve. Stir-fry the noodles in the infused oil and add the sauce. Give it a couple of stirs and just like that, a tasty meal in minutes. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples. Find fresh noodles in the refrigerator section of most Asian stores and larger supermarkets. I usually buy a couple of packs of fresh noodles and throw them into the freezer.

Right next to the catsup, mustard, and mayo…their Asian counterparts!

From left to right: Sake (Japanese rice wine), Mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine), Bean Sauce by Koon Chun (salty bean paste), Chili Garlic Sauce (like Siracha, similar in heat with garlic added), Sesame oil by Kadoya (used in Korean, Japanese and Chinese dishes), Chinese Rice wine (Michu), Vietnamese Fish Sauce by Three Crabs (pink label in back), Hoisin Sauce by Koon Chun (Chinese all-purpose bbq sauce), Premium Soy Sauce by Lee Kum Kee (all-purpose soy sauce), Oyster Sauce also by Lee Kum Kee (our go-to brand look for the label with the boy and woman in a boat). Some of the bottles are almost empty which means I will be going to my favorite Asian market soon, call me if you want to come along for an Asian Sauce Primer!

3/17/21 Update: I make this so often for a quick meal, like today! I sauteed shredded cabbage and a trio of mushrooms from Mycopia, and added a nice dollop of chili crisp oil, good to go. Use a vegetarian oyster sauce and voila’ veggie-friendly meal!

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Ginger and Scallion Noodles

A quick and easy dish. Stir fry noodles in oil infused with ginger, scallions and garlic-delicious!

Course One dish meals

Cuisine Asian

Keyword garlic, ginger, noodles, scallions

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Ingredients

1 lb fresh Asian egg noodles thin and flat like fettuccine
Fresh ginger 6 thin slices, crushed to release its flavor
3 scallions or green onions cut into 1 inch sections and crushed to release flavor
2 cloves of garlic smashed but intact
3 T vegetable or peanut oil
Sauce:
3 T premium soy sauce
3 T oyster sauce
1.5 T rice wine
1.5 t sesame oil
1 t sugar
2-3 T chicken stock or water
salt and white pepper

Options

1/2 cup corn
4 dried shiitake mushrooms that have been soaked in warm water until soft sliced, if you don't have fresh
1/4 cup black fungus soaked in warm water, cut into small pieces
1/4 head shredded green cabbage sauteed before adding noodles to ginger scsllion oil
8 oz fresh mushrooms ie. enoki, maitake, nameko, or shiitake really, any mushroom you like

Instructions

Heat a large pot of water and cook noodles as directed. Do not overcook as you will be stir frying them to finish the dish! Fresh noodles will only take a couple of minutes at best. Remove from pot and drain thoroughly.
Combine ingredients for sauce in a bowl and set aside. You can add a little cornstarch to thicken the sauce, 1-2 tsp dissolved in stock or water then added to sauce ingredients.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep sided pan or wok until very hot, you should see wisps of smoke from the oil. Add ginger and garlic to pan and stir fry for approximately 1-2 minutes until garlic begins to brown. Add scallions or green onions, mushrooms or black fungus, stir fry for another minute.
Add noodles to pan, stir fry over medium high heat. Mix thoroughly to make sure the noodles are coated with the flavored oil, 1-2 minutes. Add any optional ingredients at this point.
Add sauce to noodles and stir fry 2-3 minutes to combine ingredients and reduce the sauce.
Garnish with green onions and cilantro if desired.
I left the ginger and green onions in big pieces as my kids didn't like them, made it easy to pick it out.
You could add leftover chicken or beef to make this a more substantial dish or even shrimp.
Once again, kids and corn...the corn added a bit of sweetness to the dish and crunch, always a good thing!

Spicy Noodle Salad, A Pasta for All Seasons – Summer

By threejamigos | August 10, 2015 | Comments 2 comments

Summertime! This is the PERFECT summer potluck dish, Spicy Noodle Salad. It can be made the night before, it keeps well, and it’s vegetarian, (yes, you can add a protein like chicken if you want). Peanut allergy? As much as peanuts are perfect in this salad, pine nuts make an excellent stand-in. I have made this so many times I’ve lost count, it’s my go-to-crowd pleaser recipe. Try it.

For those of you who HATE cilantro, I know it’s not your fault-it’s a genetic thing, I can’t think of a substitute BUT, lucky you, for a tasty noodle salad that doesn’t need cilantro, try Super Summer Somen Salad. Need a Gluten-free option, try this Pho-tastic Chicken Noodle Salad that calls for rice noodles!

Make this our own, needs to be more savory? Add an additional tablespoon of soy sauce. If you want a brinier taste try soy Dashi which starts with a fish base stock.

Enjoy!

5 from 2 votes

Spicy Cold Noodle Salad

Asian inspired Spicy Cold Noodle Salad, the perfect summer potluck dish! Vegetarian and delicious!

Course dinner, lunch, noodles, potluck

Cuisine Asian-American

Keyword Angel hair pasta, cucumber salad, Garlic Noodles, Spicy Cold Noodle Salad

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Ingredients

Dressing

4 T. corn oil
6 T sesame seed oil
2 t. crushed red pepper
6 T honey decrease by 1T if desired
4 T soy sauce
3 T rice wine vinegar

Ingredients

16 oz. angel hair pasta or any thin pasta, ie. capellini, somen noodles
4 T chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts or honey roasted peanuts
1/2 cup sliced green onions 2 T for garnish
2 T toasted white sesame seeds you could throw in black sesame seeds too!

Instructions

Heat pepper in oils over med/high heat for 1-2 minutes (the longer, the hotter! I usually half the amount of red pepper flakes called for). Cool oils, add honey and soy sauce and stir to combine. Cook pasta according to instructions. Do not overcook noodles! Pour sauce over noodles, add cilantro and onions and chill for 24 hours.
Garnish with peanuts, sesame seeds and additional green onions before serving
Perfect for summer! Toasted pine nuts or cashews can be substituted for the peanuts.

Notes

Japanese Rice Wine Vinegar is not in the original recipe but I think it needs a hit of acid.

In place of 4 T soy sauce you can use 2 T reg soy sauce and 2 T Ponzu-citrus flavored soy.

If the dressing is too sweet reduce honey by 1 tablespoon.

A Pasta for All Seasons-Fall (Butternut Squash & Spicy Sausage)

By threejamigos | July 10, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

I love noodles. As a kid I loved a plate of gooey Mac and cheese (Kraft), spaghetti-o’s or Mom’s lasagne. But I was equally enamored with a steaming bowl of won ton noodles or plate of chow mein. Today, living in the Bay Area, my noodle choices seem infinite; shoyu ramen or Vietnamese pho, pad thai or chop jae, all just a stone’s throw away or fortunately for “Silicon Valley-ites”, just an app (Door Dash) delivery away! Courtesy of Giada de Laurentis, a simple 5 ingredient pasta, Rigatoni with Butternut Squash, Spicy Sausage and Arugula that is both easy and delicious.

Boxed pasta, pre-cut squash, and spicy Italian sausage from your favorite grocery store, makes quick work of a weekday dinner. While the pasta boils, the butternut squash is braised in liquid (water or stock) and smooshed with a spoon. This adds creaminess and a touch of sweetness to the pasta that plays well with the spiciness of the sausage and the bite from the arugula.

In full defiance of our “carb-phobia” there are times when a bowl of pasta just hits the spot. A couple of new favorites like this one, and a tried and true cold noodle salad, both perfect for the summer. Let me know if you like them.

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A Pasta for All Seasons

Ingredients

Adapted from Giada's Pasta with Butternut Squash and Spicy Sausage
Ingedients:
1 pound rigatoni
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus 3 tablespoons for finishing
1 pound spicy Italian sausage casing removed
1 pound butternut squash peeled and cut into 1/3 inch pieces (when I'm press for time buy the precut squash from TJ's
1-2 coves of garlic peeled and minced
1 minced shallot or quarter of a yelow onion minced.
1 1/2 cups water or broth
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
2 cups roughly chopped baby arugula or baby spinach

Instructions

Bring pot of water to boil, add 1 tsp salt and pasta. Cook as directed for al dente and drain in colander. Set pasta aside. In a saute pan heat 2 T olive oil, add garlic and shallots and saute until translucent and just about to brown. Add sausage, and break it into smaller pieces while sauteing until it loses its pink color. Add squash and stir until combined. Add water or broth and simmer until squash is tender and liquid has been reduced by approximately half around 10 minutes. Add pasta and 3/4 of parmesan cheese to pan and toss to incorporate pasta and sauce. Pour pasta into bowl and add arugula or spinach and toss to slightly wilt greens. Serve immediately.