As the name suggest, San Bei Ji means 3 cups chicken. Whether you’ve heard of it or not, you’ll definitely like it. It’s easy to cook, simple ingredients and very fragrant! It taste just like home. Easy ingredients that you may already have in the Asian pantry, with an additional Thai Basil Leaves. Weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes with just 10 ingredients.
WHAT IS SAN BEI JI?
San Bei Ji, or Three Cups Chicken is a popular dish in Chinese and Taiwanese Cuisine. The name 3 cups refers to the recipe used to make it; 1 cup soy sauce, 1 cup sesame oil and 1 cup cooking wine. You’ll notice, however, the recipe isn’t exactly 1 cup each. That would make the dish overly salty and oily.
I can’t vow for it’s authenticity of my recipe as different brands of sesame oil, soy sauce and cooking wine imparts different flavour and depth. The basis of 3 cups chicken is using these three ingredients to make a thick, dark and reduced sauce that absorbs right into the chicken. The other distinctive ingredient for San Bei Ji is Thai Basil, that gives the dish a anise-y flavour and a touch of freshness.
The recipe for San Bei Ji is very simple as it is a drop-in and a 1 pot dish. Traditionally, San bei ji is served on a claypot as it will continue thickening and caramelizing the sauce even after cooking. Get ready a bowl of rice to go with this dish that will be ready in 30 minutes.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE SAN BEI JI
- Garlic, Ginger and Dried Chili. These aromatics will infuse the oil. Dried chili gives a spicy kick to the final dish, if you prefer non-spicy, omit dried chili. The whole garlic will be very flavourful as it would have absorbed all the sauce.
- Chicken. Use bone-in or chicken thigh. The fat and chicken skin will impart more flavour
- Sesame Oil. Use 100% pure sesame oil instead of oil to fry the aromatics. It will give the dish a nutty aroma
- Cooking Wine. I use Shao Xing Wine, it’s a chinese cooking wine specifically made for cooking, not drinking. It adds depth and complexity to this dish while braising in it instead of water or stock.
- Light Soy Sauce and dark soy sauce. Light soy sauce flavours the dish, instead of using salt. Dark soy sauce gives it that caramelized colour, fragrance and glossy sheen.
- Sugar. To balance the saltiness of the dish and to thicken up the sauce.
- Thai Basil. A great final touch to the dish. Sweet basil can be used as a substitute.
HOW TO MAKE 3 CUPS CHICKEN (SAN BEI JI)
- Cut chicken into smaller pieces. Slice ginger thinly, lightly smash garlic.
- In a pan with lid, add in sesame oil on low heat. Add in ginger slices and let it crisp up on the sides. Add in garlic and let it cook for 1-2 minutes. This will release the fragrance into the sesame oil.
- Add in chicken and sauté till skin looks cooked or curled up. 2-4 minutes.
- Add in light soy sauce, cooking wine and dark soy sauce. Stir to combine everything. Then add in dried chili. This is optional and is omittable. Let it come to a boil, add 1 tsp of sugar.
- Close lid and let it cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove lid and add more sesame oil if needed. Let it simmer without the lid for 2 minutes to help the sauce thicken.
- Add in Thai Basil leaves continue simmering till sauce thickens (about 2 minutes). Serve with white rice.
3 Cups Chicken (San Bei Ji)
Ingredients
- 2 deboned chicken thigh (chicken chop cut)
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 thumb size ginger
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shao Xing Wine)
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 piece dried chili (optional)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 bunch Thai Basil leaves
Instructions
- Cut chicken into smaller pieces.
- Slice ginger thinly, lightly smash garlic.
- In a pan with lid, add in sesame oil on low heat. Add in ginger slices and let it crisp up on the sides. Add in garlic and let it cook for 1-2 minutes. This will release the fragrance into the sesame oil.
- Add in chicken and sauté till skin looks cooked or curled up. 2-4 minutes. Add in light soy sauce, cooking wine and dark soy sauce. Stir to combine everything.
- Then add in dried chili. This is optional and is omittable. Let it come to a boil, add 1 tsp of sugar. Close lid and let it cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove lid and add more sesame oil if needed. Let it simmer without the lid for 2 minutes to help the sauce thicken.
- Add in Thai Basil leaves continue simmering till sauce thickens (about 2 minutes). Serve with white rice.
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