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Friday, June 24, 2011

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)

19 comments:

  1. 好下饭的一道菜!! 我家不曾试过加入腐竹片。。。下次也要试试!!

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  2. Wendy, you always make me VERY hungry during lunch time...so delicious..Thanks for sharing as I can tell my papa to cook for my sister in law...Sandy

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  3. Good tip on the beancurd stick. I didn't know how to enjoy this till I tried a mutton soup stall and ever since, love it.

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  4. Hai is a satisfacion visit your blog, I love learning new recipes I like flavors and colors, I'll follow through from VIGO SPAIN share friendship and what we like to cook. I invite you to share my recipes and blog, hugs Marimi

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  5. This is a flavorful chicken dish...sesame oil and the beancurd is enough to whet my appetite. Will cook this after I come back from KL :) Thanks for sharing all your confinement food :)

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  6. agree, this is so appetising, with this dish alone, can have bowls of rice! oh, i saw fennel bulbs today at jusco, now i know where to get them .

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  7. yum yum ,nice confiment dishes. Every time my wife's confinement, I put on weitght also....lol!

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  8. I love your confinement foods and wish someone had cooked all these for me eons ago. Must try this recipe without the experiencing the pregnancy part :D

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  9. I still have a packet of this beancurd sticks in my pantry and I think they are over one and a half year old. I am sure they super rubbery now :)

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  10. great tips with the beancurd sticks. I see what u mean about needing to dry it out now!!!

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  11. I have learnt so much from you. Thanks for all the useful notes on sesame oil and beancurd stick! :)

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  12. Haha...you really cook this as your confinement food. :)
    I use different type of beancurd stick, not fu chuk.

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  13. annann,
    It's very nice to have the fuchukpian inside. It soaks up all the nice gravy


    Sandy,
    Hope she likes it


    Edith,
    Beancurd sticks are a joy to chew on. Lovely texture. Never too late to start enjoying it


    Galrutti,
    thanks for dropping by


    Elin,
    Sedapla this dish. Very. Try it, hope u like it


    lena,
    I want to see what you do with the fennel.
    Love to see you fresh ideas


    Pete,
    My hubby said the same, LOL

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  14. Echo,
    Yeah :)


    Experimental Cook,
    The dishes featured for confinement are rather neutral, can cook anytime w/o any pregnancies :)


    Gert,
    I'm not sure about your beancurd sticks. But maybe those sold here are not packed air tight which is why they turn rubbery due to aging.


    Daphne,
    Same goes to frying any crisps and chips. When things are drier, they fry better. Especially keropok, they must be very very dry if you want to fry them.


    hanushi,
    Thank you, I learn too from you when I read your blog.


    Little Inbox,
    sure la, say liao, sure cook. kekeke,
    But after this, I will also cook, provided fuchuk eaters are dining together with me. My hubby never like eating fuchuk.
    If you didn't use fuchuk, what did you use?
    I thought yours is the flat type, and i only use the rolled up type, but both are fuchuk. IMPO, rolled up type is better for braising.

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  15. Wendy, I tried this yesterday. I cooked for dinner and taste so nice..thanks for sharing..Sandy

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  16. I just finished cooking this but fail...
    I do not really like it.
    It taste plain

    Iris Chua

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  17. Iris,
    If it's not salty enough for you, why didn't you add salt to the gravy? How much gravy u retained will determine how much salt you will need.
    Always taste your food before turning off the heat.
    I use Lee Kum Kee brand oyster sauce and that's pretty salty, maybe your brand is different.

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  18. I am sorry. I think the proportion of the seasoning i put is not right.

    Thanks

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