When I finished the HSC so many years ago, I took up a part time job waitressing at a local Chinese restaurant. The stint only lasted a few months, but offered me an insider’s look at how some Chinese staples are prepared. It was also during this time that I discovered Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji), a delicious casserole dish originating from Jiang Xi province made with equal shots of chilli oil, rice wine and soy sauce.
I’ve been making this dish quite regularly at home lately, thanks to a small investment in a claypot. These fickle little things are actually quite tricky to cook with for first timers. My first one exploded because I had the heat up too high. The key is to keep the flame on low and make sure the pot doesn’t withstand dramatic changes in temperature.
Recipe: Three Cup Chicken
(Adapted from Noobcook)
Ingredients
1/2 kilo of chicken thigh
2 carrots
1 small Chinese cabbage
5 cloves garlic, peeled & slightly bruised
2 stalks spring onions, cut to 2 inch lengths
1.5 tbsp sesame oil
1.5 tbsp chilli oil
1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
1.5 tbsp Chinese wine (Shaoxing wine/Hua Tiao Jiu)
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2 chillies
A few fresh basil leaves (optional)
Method
1. Heat sesame oil in wok, then add garlic cloves, shallots and chillies. Stir fry till fragrant.
2. Add chicken pieces and carrots. Stir fry until the surface are no longer pink.
3. Sizzle shaoxing wine and add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, chilli oil and sugar. Stir evenly, and cover the lid to cook for about 6 minutes.
4. Line a clay pot with Chinese cabbage and fill with chicken. Close the lid and set on a small flame for 10-15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and transfer to a padded surface.
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8 comments
This looks delicious, I will be giving this a try! Do you think it would still be good without the chili? I don’t handle spiciness very well!
I love 3 cup chicken!! I hardly ever see it on menus here in London so am glad to finally be able to make it at home! I assume I can make it in a regular pot if I don’t have a claypot?
Woah, this is different from the way I’ve seen it; the Taiwanese version uses sesame oil instead of chili oil. Interesting.
One of my favourites! Have to try out this recipe.
3 cup chicken is my favourite dish at chinese restaurant. Yours look so good! I like how you line the pot with Wong Bok
Can I use red wine instead of Shaoxing wine/Hua Tiao Jiu?
[...] to be mean but it is sam-poe-ke in Taiwanese insteas of San bei ji and here is a recipe for it Three Cup Chicken | tasted by two Just had to add the recipe as now people will be wondering more about it, who knows maybe they [...]
the Taiwanese version does not have chilli oil, but it has Ginger too. Also, Basil is a must to bring out the flavor of this dish. And it does not have carrots or small cabbage in the dish.