Ching-he Huang's hearty three-cup chicken dish
This classic Taiwanese dish is warm and comforting - perfect for the cold weather. The chicken, ginger and chilli will give you a warm zingy lift. It’s also quick and speedy - prepared in 5 minutes and cooked in 7 - which means chopping board to table in under 15 minutes.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
250g boneless chicken thighs, sliced into 1cm x 2.5cm cubesPinch of sea salt flakesPinch of ground white pepper1 tablespoon cornflour1 tablespoon rapeseed oilLarge knob of fresh root ginger, peeled and cut into large slices2 garlic cloves, crushed but left whole1 red chili, sliced into rings1 tablespoon Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry50ml low-sodium light soy sauce50ml toasted sesame oil1 teaspoon caster sugar5g Thai sweet basil
Rice: 100g wild rice, 100g red rice, 100g Thai Jasmine rice
Method
Place the chicken in a bowl, add the salt and ground white pepper and then dust with the cornflour. Mix well to coat then set aside.
Heat a wok over a high heat until smoking and add the rapeseed oil. Add the ginger slices and fry until crispy and golden, then add the garlic and red chili and toss for a few seconds to release their flavour. Add the chicken pieces and leave for 10 seconds to sear and colour, then flip them over. Season with Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes on a high heat until the chicken is almost cooked.
Add the light soy sauce, the toasted sesame oil and sugar and cook for 5 minutes until the liquid has almost evaporated. The chicken should have a dark brown, slightly sticky shine. Add the basil leaves and toss through to will, then take off the heat and serve immediately.
For the rice
Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear
Add to 600ml of cold water and bring to the boil, put the lid on and leave to simmer for 15 minutes
Once the rice is cooked, it should fluff up with a fork