Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken with Garlic, Ginger and Thai Basil

What you need

• 800 g (1 3/4 lb) bone-in chicken thighs, skin on, or use drumsticks
• 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 40 g (1 1/2 oz) ginger, cut into 8 thick coins
• 10 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
• 2 dried red chilies, optional
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine, or Chinese rice wine
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rock sugar, or granulated sugar
• 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) water
• 40 g (2 cups packed) Thai basil, leaves and tender stems

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Chop the chicken through the bone into pieces about 4 cm (1 1/2 in) wide. Pat them dry.

2. 2

   Heat the sesame oil in a wok or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and chilies and fry 2-3 min, until fragrant and the garlic is lightly golden.

3. 3

   Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the chicken skin side down in one layer and sear 3-4 min until golden. Turn the pieces and sear 3 min more.

4. 4

   Pour in the rice wine and let it bubble for 30 seconds.

5. 5

   Add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and water, and stir to coat.

6. 6

   Cover, turn the heat to medium-low and simmer 15 min, stirring once or twice.

7. 7

   Uncover and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, turning the pieces often, until the sauce has reduced to a sticky glaze, 5-7 min. The chicken must reach 74 °C (165 °F) at the thickest part.

8. 8

   Turn off the heat, tear in the basil and stir for 30 seconds, until just wilted.

9. 9

   Serve straight from the pot with steamed rice.

Imported from tasteasianfood.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.