Sesame Oil Beancurd Stick Chicken - Confinement Month # 7

When I saw this recipe on Little Inbox's, I knew, I'll cook this for my confinement.

I don't like to eat the same thing over and over again, so I am eager to try out anything suitable during this "restricting" month to broaden my menu. And it's a family friendly recipe. I dine with my family every night, therefore I do not consume real confinement dishes at night. Real confinement dishes are like rice wine chicken or ginger fried rice. Super heaty food! I do hear of people eating ginger fried rice every morning and rice wine chicken for every meal. KILL ME to eat like that. I never will.


Confinement food consist a lot of warming ingredients and sesame oil is one of the crucial ingredients. One easily uses 1L of this oil during this month. 1L is considered less, some, use up to a few bottles, depending on what they cook and eat. Why consume sesame oil? It's a good source of Omega-6. So, it's really good for you. And sesame oil is warming, and post partum ladies need to consume warming foods to warm the body internally. Regular cooking oil won't have the same effect.

Little Inbox's recipe uses soaked beancurd sticks. I'm worried about those that I bought may be rubbery. Well you see, beancurd sticks, if they were made and kept long will be RUBBERY. If you bought one pack and used it to make dessert and it was soft and nice, try keeping it for 6 months and cook the same dessert. You'll get a much rubbery texture and no longer the soft smooth beancurd skin. I wasn't sure about the freshness of the beancurd sticks I bought, so my told my confinement lady to fry the beancurd sticks before cooking them later. Pre frying ensures it won't be rubbery later.

In order for the beancurd sticks to have nice crispy blisters all over, make sure the beancurd sticks are really really dry. Even if you've just opened up the pack, let it sun for a few hours. If you are cooking this on impulse, zap it in the microwave for 15 seconds. It'll create nicer blisters when you fry them.

This is a very delicious chicken dish. Thanks Little Inbox.

Sesame oil Beancurd Stick Chicken
Recipe source: Little Inbox Recipe~Eating Pleasure~

700gm Chicken (2 whole legs and half a breast)
3 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1.5 Tbsp light soy sauce
Pepper

150gm beancurd sticks (make sure they are really dry before using)
2 cups water
1 cup Cooking oil for frying
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
Dark soy sauce for better colour.

1. Chop chicken into smaller sizes. Marinade with light soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Set aside for half an hour, minimum.
2. Heat wok on medium low heat. Put in 1 cup of cooking oil.
3. Break beancurd sticks into smaller pieces and fry them piece by piece until they blister all over. It won't take long.
4. Prepare a basin of water and soak the hot fried beancurd sticks in water. Excess oil will be removed.
5. Remove beancurd sticks from water, shake off the excess water and snip into preferred lengths.
6. After frying the beancurd sticks, pour away the oil and with the oily wok, turn heat to high. Put in chicken pieces and fry until they are browned and you see the skin starting to release oil.
7. Put in water and beancurd sticks. Make sure the beancurd sticks are well submerged in the liquid. Add more if it's not enough.
8. Cook with lid on until the beancurd sticks reach your desired level of softness. Reduce the gravy and thicken with cornstarch mixture. Add dark soy sauce if it's too light. (I find it salty enough and didn't add any more seasonings besides whatever that is in the marinade)