Stir Fried Vermicelli (Tsa bi hoon)
Stir Fried Vermicelli (Tsa bi hoon) is a loved favourite in my household, real easy to knock up and real tasty. It is as common, if not more common than fried rice across Taiwan and has a lighter texture, leaving you feeling satisfied and not guilty!
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves 2
Ingredients:
200 gram chicken breast
2 carrots
2 eggs
3 cloves garlic
300 gram vermicelli
2 sprigs spring onion
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine (mi chiu)
2 teaspoons raw sugar
Basil for decoration (optional)
1. In a bowl of boiling water, add the vermicelli to soften. Ensure it is covered entirely and leave for 10 minutes.
2. Shred the carrots, garlic and thinly slice the chicken. Slice the spring onion into long strips.
3. In a heated pan, roughly scramble the eggs. Remove from heat.
4. In a heated wok, add a dash of cooking oil and the chicken and brown for 5 minutes.
5. Add the spring onion, carrots and garlic and stir for a few minutes.
6. Drain the vermicelli and add to the wok.
7. Add the soy sauce, rice wine and sugar and stir until well combined.
8. Add more soy sauce/sugar to taste.
9. Add the eggs and combine well.
10. Serve immediately with the basil for decoration.
Three Cup Chicken (San be ji)
Three Cup Chicken is one of the most well known dishes from Taiwan and its key ingredients as it suggests forms from three parts – soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil. This is a very fragrant and flavoursome dish, perfect for dinner parties or family get togethers. Its so quick and easy to make, you’ll have it ready in no time when your guests arrive!
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 500 gram chicken drumsticks
- ¼ cup rice wine (mi chiu)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ sesame oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons raw sugar
- 5 cloves roughly chopped garlic
- 200 gram basil
Directions
1. Using a strong knife (I use a butchers knife), cut the chicken drumsticks in half.
2. In a heated pan, add the sesame oil and garlic and saute for a minute.
3. Add the chicken and fry on medium heat.
4. Once the chicken has slightly browned on both sides, add the soy sauce, rice wine and sugar.
5. Mix well, turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally.
6. Add the basil and stir gently for 2 minutes.
7. Serve immediately with rice.
Taiwanese sesame noodles (liang mien)
I love these noodles, they’re really tasty and so quick and easy to make. Best of all, they are individually made so great for cooking for friends and family or just for one! They are a very popular Taiwanese dish, particularly in the night markets of Taiwan. You can add shredded chicken, cucumbers and/or egg or they even great plain, just as I have made them here.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 1
Ingredients:
- 200 gram noodles
- 1 1/2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon hot soy bean paste
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Shredded chicken (optional)
- Sliced cucumbers (optional)
- Sliced egg omelette (optional)
Directions:
1. Bring a pot of water to the boil, add the noodles and cook for 5 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, add the sesame paste, peanut butter, soy sauce, spicy soy bean paste and mix until well combined.
3. Drain the noodles and add to the sauce bowl.
4. Add the chicken. Mix and combine well.
5. Serve immediately.
Read More
Sticky Rice (Rou mi fan)
Sticky rice (Rou mi fan) is a classic Taiwanese dish eaten during festivals but also in family meals. Its great for parties as it is easy to make in volumes and quickly. It can be adapted also to include many ingredients which makes it a very versatile dish.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups glutinous rice
- ½ cup dried shitake mushrooms
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Dash sesame oil
- Fried shallots
- 2 tablespoons dried shrimp
- 250gram chicken
- Ginger
Directions
1. Soak the rice and mushrooms separately overnight (or 2 hours if in a hurry).
2. Drain the mushrooms and slice up the mushrooms and ginger into strips.
3. Chop the chicken into fine strips.
4. In a heated pan, add a dash of vegetable oil and the ginger. Stir for a minute.
5. Add the chicken and 1 tablespoon soy sauce and sautee for 5 minutes.
6. Add the mushrooms and dried shrimp and stir.
7. Drain the rice and add to the pan. Add 3 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Stir until well combined.
8. Add the sesame oil and fried shallots and roughly stir.
9. Transfer to a steamer and steam for 10 minutes.
10. Remove and serve immediately.
Tips:
1. Replace chicken with pork if preferred.
Read More
Connect with us online!