Okay, I don't have quite any good excuses for not posting aside from sheer laziness. I suppose it's also because I haven't any done any especially inspired cooking of late - now that the semester has started again, I've resorted to what I think of as "functional" cooking - that is, something I can make over the weekend that I can keep as leftovers for lunch all week long. I know this seems rather boring, but unless I want to walk a whole whopping half of a mile (and that's only one way), there are only pitiful dining hall options. In the snow and cold (although could it be true? Is spring on the horizon???), that is most definitely NOT an option.
The trick, then, is to find something that I'm willing to eat all week that's also substantial enough so I don't resort to going to aforementioned crappy dining hall to get french fries, or find excuses to make that trek for real food.
This is one of those recipes. I nearly made it a second week in a row, I liked it that much. As a bonus, it's super-easy to put together - some chopping, some minimal stirring, and you're pretty much done!
The trick, then, is to find something that I'm willing to eat all week that's also substantial enough so I don't resort to going to aforementioned crappy dining hall to get french fries, or find excuses to make that trek for real food.
This is one of those recipes. I nearly made it a second week in a row, I liked it that much. As a bonus, it's super-easy to put together - some chopping, some minimal stirring, and you're pretty much done!
Chinese no clay pot chicken with soy and ginger
From The Kitchn
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I used boneless skinless thighs, because I like dark meat better)
- 3 scallions, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, roughly grated
- 2 ounces smoked sausage, such as Chinese lap cheong sausage or good Italian salami, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (I used the lap cheong sausage. I don't think salami would be right in this recipe at all. This may mean a trek to the local Asian supermarket - or Costco. Seriously, some Costcos sell lap cheong sausage)
- 10 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, caps thinly sliced (While normally I'd say any mushrooms would do, I really liked this with the shiitakes and don't think you should substitute them in this case - although, beware the uncooked shiitake!)
- 1 tablespoon canola or peanut oil
- 2 cups Chinese long grain rice (I used brown basmati rice)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups chicken stock
Heat your oven to 350F. Mix the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the chicken, scallions, garlic, and ginger, toss, and marinate while you chop and cook the mushrooms.
Place an oven-safe pan over medium heat on the stove. When hot, add the sausage, turn the heat down, and let the sausage slowly release its fat. Add the mushrooms, turn the heat up, and let them cook until they're very nearly done. While the original recipe says to not stir them, I found that if I didn't the sausage threatened to burn, so I stirred them a little.
Add the oil to the pot, then the rice, and toast the rice lightly (about a minute or so). Add the salt (or not), chicken, and chicken stock. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
Cover the pot with a lid or foil and bake it in the oven for 45 minutes You may need more or less time, and more or less liquid, depending on the type of rice you use, so I'd start checking on the status of the rice after 40 minutes. I think I needed to add another cup of water and 15 minutes to the cooking time. Once done, remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes with the lid on before mixing it all up and serving. You can garnish with some additional chopped scallions to make it all pretty, if you wish.
This was enough for me for dinner and for five healthy-sized lunch portions.
