I’m back with my special Healthy Chinese Sesame Chicken and a short story (and ofcourse with a recipe too) based on a special Festival. Though it’s not like rest typical Indian festival with loads of fried items and desserts made of desi ghee many Indians celebrate it every year and they wait for it year long. It is Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year. It is also known as Spring Festival.
Chinese people celebrate their New Year with a family reunion dinner. This sumptuous dinner is mainly loaded with fish, lobster and other seafood, pork, chicken and traditional Chinese dessert including cakes.
I have little knowledge about Chinese tradition and culture and that also due to my stay in Taiwan and Malaysia. Still in core I’m Indian who loves to be colorful with the colors of others. So here I am to celebrate my Chinese New Year with my special preparations.
I have little knowledge about Chinese tradition and culture and that also due to my stay in Taiwan and Malaysia. Still in core I’m Indian who loves to be colorful with the colors of others. So here I am to celebrate my Chinese New Year with my special preparations.
My today’s recipe pick is Healthy Chinese Sesame Chicken.
Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Yield: 4 serving
Ingredients:
Boneless chicken breast : 400g
Onion : 2, small
Bell pepper : 1 cup (½ of each red, yellow, green color worked fine for me)
Spring onion : ¼ cup + 1 tbsp
Green chili : 4-5, finely chopped
Sesame seeds : 5 tbsp + 1 tsp
Black pepper powder : 2 tsp + ½ tsp
Fresh garlic : 5-6 cloves
Honey : ½ cup
Dark Soy sauce : 3 tbsp
Vinegar : 1 tbsp
Green chili sauce : 1 tbsp
Red chili sauce : 1 tbsp
Salt to taste (See Tips)
Oil : 1 tbsp
Preparation:
Make thin strips of the chicken and then cut into bite size pieces. Marinade the chicken with pinch of salt and 2 tsp of black pepper powder. Cut the bell peppers and onion into cubes.
Take a medium bowl and pour the honey in it. Add chili sauces, vinegar and soy sauce. Add freshly crushed garlic and mix lightly with 1 tbsp of water.
Add on the sesame seeds and stir well to mix well. Keep aside for 10 mins or until honey dissolves.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Fry onion with fresh chili on high flame for 1 minute or until onion is translucent. Add chicken and fry until chicken is half done. Continue frying with all bell peppers on high flame until chicken is done yet bell peppers are crunchy.
Pour the honey-sesame-soy-sauces mixture into the pan. Mix well to coat every piece of meat and veggies. Continue cooking on high flame.
Cook for another 3-5 mins or until everything is done. Most of the liquid will evaporate by the time. If you want to keep the gravy add 2-3 tbsp of water and bring it to boil on high flame. Sprinkle spring onion on the top and switch off the flame.
Transfer immediately to the serving bowl. Sprinkle rest sesame seeds and spring onion on the top. Serve hot with noodles or white rice.
I used pan fried Egg Hakka Noodles to complete my appetite.
Tips:
Remember soy sauce already contains enough salt for any preparation. I dint need any extra, if you need more add cautiously.
I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover.
Sharing this recipe with http://kitchendreaming.com/linkz-parties.html
this looks beautiful rimli… iam yet to try something dry / semi dry like this as far as chicken goes… me the veggie trying my hands on non veg cooking… but love the look of it… i think i will try it soon…
May i make a suggestion to your recipe? I am half Chinese and have a very good tip for anyone who wishes to use chicken breast meat in stir fry's. In order to get the chicken to have a velvety texture (like in the restaurants), lightly beat an egg white in a bowl, put the chicken pieces in with your seasoning and combine well. The egg white will protect the chicken from the extreme heat of the wok and stop it from having a dry or 'stringy' texture, which can happen with such a meat with low fat content. I think using egg white will still keep it a healthy option! and Swati, I have used a similar recipe with tofu cubes, if you use the deep fried ones, they keep their shape, but if you use fresh tofu and cut into cubes, it is very delicate indeed, so add at the last minute just to heat thru without stirring too much 🙂 I hope you don't mind me adding the tips!
Thanks,
Maz
Great tip Maz!!!
This has become a family favorite- great flavor and healthy. We like it on quinoa.