Three Cup Chicken

Ingredients

• 900g bone-in chicken thighs, chopped into 5cm pieces
• 3 tbsp toasted black sesame oil
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 40g old ginger, cut into thick coins
• 10 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 2 dried red chillies, halved
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 120ml Taiwanese rice wine
• 1 tbsp rock sugar
• 1 large handful Thai or Taiwanese basil leaves
• Steamed rice, to serve

Before you cook

• Chop the chicken thighs through the bone into 5cm pieces and pat them dry.
• Cut the ginger into thick coins without peeling it.
• Peel the garlic cloves and leave them whole.
• Pick the basil leaves off their stems and wash and dry them.

Steps

1. Heat the sesame oil and neutral oil together in a wok or clay pot over medium-low heat.
2. Add the ginger coins and fry them for three minutes until their edges curl and dry out.
3. Add the whole garlic cloves and dried chillies and cook for two minutes until the garlic is golden.
4. Raise the heat to high and add the chicken skin side down.
5. Sear the chicken for five minutes without moving it, then turn the pieces and sear for three more.
6. Add the rock sugar and stir until it dissolves into the oil.
7. Pour in both soy sauces and toss the chicken so every piece is coated.
8. Pour in the rice wine and bring it to a hard boil.
9. Cover, drop the heat to low, and cook for fifteen minutes.
10. Uncover and raise the heat to high.
11. Boil the sauce hard for four minutes, turning the chicken constantly, until it reduces to a glaze that clings.
12. Throw in the basil leaves and toss for thirty seconds until they collapse.
13. Serve straight from the pot with steamed rice.