Stir Fries

Three Cup Chicken with Shishito Peppers

~ tracyshar ~ Leave a comment

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This is maybe my favorite stir fry I’ve ever had. It has Taiwanese roots…but apparently there are many different opinions about what makes this dish authentic. In any case, I really don’t think you can go wrong no matter what — good eats is good eats. Here’s my version.

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 2-to-3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into coins, approximately 12
  • 12 cloves of garlic (or more to taste), peeled
  • 4 whole scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • a bunch of shishito peppers
  • 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless or bone-in, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 tablespoon unrefined or light brown sugar
  • ½ cup rice wine
  • ¼ cup light soy sauce
  • 2 cups purple basil or thai basil

Preparation:

  1. Heat a wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons sesame oil. When the oil shimmers, add the ginger, garlic, scallions and peppers, and cook until fragrant, approximately 2 minutes.
  2. Scrape the aromatics to the sides of the wok, add remaining oil and allow to heat through. Add the chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and crisping at the edges, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Add sugar and stir to combine, then add the rice wine and soy sauce, and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat, then simmer until the sauce has reduced and started to thicken, approximately 15 minutes.
  4. Turn off the heat, add the basil and stir to combine.

Stir-Fried Brown Rice with Chard, Carrot, Peppers and Scallions

~ tracyshar ~ Leave a comment

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This is so simple and delicious. You could probably throw whatever you have in house in here and it would be great. Definitely don’t leave out the chard, though, cause the chard ribs add a lot to it and are amazing. It’s basically all prep…once everything is chopped this takes about 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 generous bunch of chard (1 to 1 1/4 pounds), stemmed, washed and chopped. (Keep the stems, also chopped, for the stir fry)
  • 2 to 3 tsp. minced garlic (to taste)
  • 2 tbls. minced fresh ginger (to taste)
  • 2 eggs
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tsps plus 2 tbls. sesame oil
  • 1 medium carrot, cut in 2-inch julienne
  • 1 habanero pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 green pepper, minced
  • 1 bunch scallions, sliced, dark green parts separated
  • 4 cups cooked brown rice, either chilled or at room temperature
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce (to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
  • coarse sea salt, to taste

Preparation:

  1. Combine garlic, ginger and habanero in a small bowl. Beat eggs in a bowl and season with a pinch of salt. Prepare the other ingredients and place in separate bowls.
  2. Heat a wok or a 12-inch skillet over high heat. Swirl in 2 teaspoons of oil. Add eggs, swirling the wok or pan so that the eggs form a thin pancake. Cook 30 – 60 seconds, until set. Using a spatula, turn pancake over and cook for 5 to 10 more seconds, until thoroughly set, then transfer to a plate or cutting board and quickly cut into strips.
  3. Swirl in remaining oil and add garlic, ginger and habanero. Stir-fry no more than 10 seconds and add chard stems, carrots and green pepper. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, until crisp-tender, and add light part of the scallions and chard leaves. Stir-fry until leaves wilt, 1 to 2 minutes, and add rice. Stir-fry, scooping up the rice with your spatula then pressing it into the hot wok or pan and scooping it up again, for about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, dark green part of the scallions, eggs and cilantro, stir-fry for about 30 seconds and remove from heat. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and serve.