San Bei Ji (Three Cup Chicken)
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The Tale of San Bei Ji (Three Cup Chicken)
San bei ji, three-cup chicken, carries a popular legend connecting it to the Song Dynasty loyalist Wen Tianxiang's final meal, cooked with a cup each of soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil, though the story is folklore more than documented history. It more reliably traces to Jiangxi cuisine and became, through migration, a Taiwanese comfort-food classic.
Ingredients
Scale:· 4 servings
- 1 kg chicken thighs, bone-in, cut into pieces
- 1/3 cup sesame oil
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup rice wine
- 1 thumb ginger, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 dried chilies (optional)
Instructions
- 1Heat sesame oil in a clay pot or heavy skillet and fry the ginger slices until fragrant and slightly crisp.
- 2Add the garlic cloves and cook until golden.
- 3Add the chicken pieces and sear until browned on all sides.
- 4Pour in the soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar, stirring to coat the chicken evenly.
- 5Add dried chilies if using, then cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced.
- 6Uncover and continue cooking briefly to thicken the sauce further.
- 7Stir in the fresh basil leaves just before removing from heat, letting them wilt.
- 8Serve hot with steamed rice.
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