Authentic Three Cup Chicken with Thai Basil

The perfume of sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and fresh Thai basil leaves balances the rich and fragrant flavour of Three Cup Chicken, a popular Taiwanese meal. The recipe’s main ingredients—equal parts soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine—give it its name. Tender chicken pieces laced with a wonderful savory-sweet sauce are the result of this simple recipe. This meal, which is often prepared in a clay pot but can be prepared in any heavy-bottomed skillet or pan, is ideal for weekday dinners or special occasions.

Ingredients:

• • 1 lb (500g) chicken drumsticks, thighs, or a combination of chicken parts
• 1 tablespoon baking soda (optional, to tenderize the chicken)
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil or toasted sesame oil

• 2-inch (5 cm) piece of old ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons dark sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)

• 1 ½ tablespoons Shaoxing wine
• 1 bunch Thai basil leaves

Directions:
Tenderising is optional. Step: Sprinkle the chicken pieces with baking soda if you want them to be especially tender. After massaging it in, leave it for around twenty minutes. To get rid of all the baking soda, give the chicken a good rinse with cold water. Use paper towels to pat dry.
Heat the Sesame Oil: Heat the dark sesame oil in a big wok or pan over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Stirring regularly, add the ginger slices and garlic cloves and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until aromatic and just beginning to turn golden.

Cook the Chicken: Put the chicken pieces in the pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned on both sides. At this point, the chicken just needs to be browned for flavour; it doesn’t need to be cooked completely.
Put the seasoning in:
Cover the chicken with the Shaoxing wine, dark sweet soy sauce, and soy sauce. Coat the chicken equally with the sauces by giving it a good stir. Reduce the heat and simmer the chicken in the sauce, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, basting the chicken with the sauce every so often, until the sauce thickens and reduces.
Add the Thai basil leaves once the chicken has cooked through and the sauce has thickened. After adding them, simmer for a further one to two minutes, or until the basil is fragrant and wilted.
Serve by transferring the chicken to a serving platter and covering it with the sauce. For a full dinner, serve right away with steamed rice.
In conclusion, Three Cup Chicken is a flavourful, aromatic meal that blends the umami of soy sauce, the sweetness of kecap manis, and the unique scent of Thai basil, ginger, and garlic. You can easily replicate the unique Taiwanese flavour of this meal at home, despite its simplicity. When you serve it with steamed rice, you’ll have a tasty and visually appealing dish that will quickly become a kitchen favourite.