Filipino Chicken Two Ways- Tangy Asado and Deep-Fried...

Chicken is the most popular eaten meat. There's never ending ways to cook it and I find people are always looking for new recipes to try as they get stuck in the rut of cooking chicken the same way over and over again. Chicken is a great medium to absorb spices and seasoning well and it cooks fairly quickly. I love bone-in pieces for the additional flavour the bones provide and it's cheaper than boneless cuts. As I explore the world of Filipino foods, I find cane vinegar (less acidic than western) and bay leaves are often used imparting the most wonderful tangy and aromatic flavours as a marinade or in the cooking. Well, here are two great Filipino recipes to shake up your poultry routine adapted from The Filipino Cookbook by Miki Garcia. Two contrasting tastes- one that is a saucy tangy Asado Chicken and the other deep-fried crispy Filipino Fried Chicken.

Tangy Asado Chicken and Fried Chicken Drumsticks

Similar to Italian chicken cacciatore, Asado Chicken is a mildly spicy and tangy chicken dish simmered in tomatoes, soy and cane vinegar. Its highlights the crossover of Chinese flavours in Philippine cuisine. To appease to your family tastes, cook up a batch according to recipe and remove half onto a plate before tossing chilies to the remainder for members who like the heat.

Tangy Asado Chicken
Makes 4-6 servings

2 Tbsp. oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, finely sliced (I had some green onion ends and added these too)
2-1/2 to 3 lbs. bone-in chicken pieces (I like using chicken legs as dark meat is juicy and flavourful. I buy them whole, and cut at the joints to separate thigh and drumstick- cheaper)
1 tsp. salt
2 or 3 tomatoes, large diced
1 bay leaf
3 Tbsp. cane vinegar (or white or cider vinegar 3 parts diluted with 1 part water)
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp. paprika
ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. dark soy sauce
1 to 2 green chilies, chopped (remove seeds if the chilies are especially spicy) *optional

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in skillet over medium heat and sauté the garlic and onions until fragrant and lightly golden; remove and set aside. Rub the chicken with salt. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in same skillet and cook the chicken on both sides until lightly browned, about ten minutes. Set aside.

Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, vinegar and water to same skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Return the chicken, garlic and onion mixture, paprika, pepper and soy sauces; cook for 20 minutes uncovered, or until tender.

If you want to add spiciness to part of the dish, remove part of the chicken mixture onto a plate, then toss the chopped chilies and toss for one or two minutes.

Two dishes- one regular and one slightly spicy to serve at the family table with steamed rice.

My boys loving the flavours, and adding their own favourite pepper sauce anyway!

Create your own fried chicken at home- yes you can do it and you can control your spices and flavourings. Filipino-style fried chicken is crispy on the outside and juicy moist on the inside. You can use all types of bone-in cuts but today I had chicken drumsticks and loved cooking them uniformly as they were all around the same size. What brings out the delicious juicy flavour are the cane vinegar and seasoning that seeps into the chicken when they are simmered together to cook first before breading and frying to lock in the juices inside. I like using 1 part all-purpose flour and 1/2 part potato starch to create a light crispy batter that is associated with Asian deep-fried foods. The classic way to serve Filipino fried chicken is with banana ketchup and some kind of vinegar based sauce.

Filipino Fried Chicken
Makes 4-6 servings

1 tsp. oil
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup cane vinegar (or white or cider vinegar 3 parts diluted with 1 part water)
3 cups water or enough to just cover chicken
2-1/2 to 3 lbs. bone-in chicken pieces (I like using chicken legs as dark meat is juicy and flavourful. I buy them whole, and cut at the joints to separate thigh and drumstick- cheaper)
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. salt, divided
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup potato starch
3 cups oil for deep-frying (peanut or canola oil are great choices)
vinegar soy dip and store-bought banana ketchup

NOTE: banana ketchup is made from bananas, tomatoes, sugar, vinegar and spices. It's sweet and sour doesn't taste anything like bananas, and readily available in Asian grocers. Regular ketchup is a perfect substitute.

In a skillet or saucepan, sauté the garlic in oil over medium heat until fragrant, Add vinegar, water, bay leaf, soy sauce, 1/2 Tbsp. salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then add the chicken. Cook over high heat for ten minutes. Drain and carefully pat chicken dry with paper towels.

If using same skillet/saucepan to fry, make sure you rinse and dry well before adding oil or hot oil will spit and splatter. Add oil and heat on medium-high. Meanwhile, mix the flours and remaining 1/2 Tbsp. salt in a large bowl for breading. Add the chicken and coat the pieces evenly. Place breaded chicken on a tray or baking sheet. TIP: Make sure you bread right before frying otherwise the chicken with get moist and create a messy splattering during deep-frying.

Use a chopstick or wooden skewer to check if oil is hot enough. It is when bubbles form all around the stick when inserted in the centre of oil. A deep-fryer thermometer will register between 350F to 375F when ready. Deep-fry the chicken pieces for about 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Do not overcrowd the pan or chicken won't cook evenly. NOTE: Better yet, use the burner on your BBQ and leave the cooking and smells outside!!!

Keep a strainer nearby to remove any floating burnt debris to keep oil clean 
to cook chicken nicely. And use a splatter screen to keep oil from flying everywhere.

Place a cooling rack over a paper-towel lined tray or plate to drain the cooked chicken.

Served chicken with a side of deep-fried onion rings (why not go all out with a deep-fried foods affair), lemon wedges, chilies, sliced onions and full sour pickle wedges.

Deep-fried foods goes so well with a side of crunchy cabbage salad served with a drizzle of Japanese kewpie mayo, and banana ketchup, garlic mayonnaise and vinegar soy dip for the chicken.

NOM NOM!!

This chili pepper is not too spicy mom! Yikes!

Crispy and juicy moist! Home-style deep-fried chicken is REALLY finger-lickin' GOOD!

If you like Filipino cuisine or want to discover some new flavours give these a try: Filipino Sautéed Marinated Clams and my Kamayan eating experience post with lots of great BBQ recipes to try with all kinds of meats and seafood.

Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)...

When I think about Taiwan, it is their vast culinary landscape that draws me in. First and foremost, their sprawling swarming night food markets comes to mind. An eclectic hustling and bustling of open or enclosed street space where you can find anything from grilled fish ball skewers, pork belly buns, braised offals, noodles, stinky tofu and all kinds of desserts (think bubble tapioca teas, shaved ice and mochi). Despite all the evolving food crazes, many traditional Taiwanese foods remain just as popular with the old and young alike. What is traditional Taiwanese cuisine? As with many cuisines, it is rooted in modest peasant country dishes. Inexpensive ingredients such as offal cuts and wild vegetables used in homey dishes can be a source of immense pride and adoration, making its way on celebration tables and banquets. With time, comfort dishes get refined, adapted and expanded in a wide variety of ways by fond cooks and become new beloved dishes.

Three Cup Chicken is touted as a quintessential Taiwanese home-style dish. Even Taiwanese-Chinese-American chef Eddie Huang (author of his widely popular memoir-turned-TV series- Fresh Off The Boat, and owner of BaoHaus in New York) penned his second book titled Double Cup Love with a nod to this dish-- gosh, how much do I LUV that guy @mreddiehuang, and his mom who is working on the Huang's family cookbook @therealmamahuang :). Three Cup Chicken's name comes from its three equal parts measurement of soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine. I've researched the recipe from various sources, and many have said to use one cup for the amounts, however for the same two pounds of bone-in chicken, I found 1/3 cup yielded plenty of sauce so you don't have to overdo it. The signature savoury braise gets its rich flavours from the loaded garlic cloves, ginger and fresh basil. Picking up a few tips from my awesome friend from Taiwan Kate Chou's mom, it is such an irresistible and intoxicating dish to create at home simply.

Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)
Makes 4 to 6 servings

1/3 cup sesame oil
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into 8 to 10 thick slices
12 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
4 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 red chilies (optional)
2 lb. bone-in chicken legs, thighs and/or wings, cut into roughly 2-inch pieces (see below)
1/3 cup rice wine
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 bunch fresh Thai basil, leaves plucked

The Chinese meat cleaver is the "woman" for the job of hacking! I used leg quarters, so first cut the joint where drumstick and thigh meet. Then, cut the drumstick in half and the thigh in quarters; it may take a couple of good whacks to get through the bones, and if you miss the initial cut the next chop, make sure you remove any bone fragments before cooking.

Heat 2 Tbsp. sesame oil in a wok/skillet over medium-high heat; stir-fry the ginger, garlic, onions and chilies if using and cook until fragrant about one minute. Add remaining sesame oil and let heat to simmering.

Add chicken pieces and lightly brown, stirring occasionally for two to three minutes. Pour in the rice wine and soy sauce and bring to a boil (You can add 1/2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce to give the dish a deeper richer brown colour). Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the chicken pieces are cooked through, and the sauce has slightly reduced about 15 minutes. Stir in the sugar. Turn off heat and stir in the basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Ga-gorgeous and the aroma-- sweet savoury and garlicky with hints of anise basil fills the kitchen! 
Chicken, juicy succulent delicious in its potent, salty-sweet savoury braised sauce.

I forewent the hot chilies in the chicken dish as I was serving Hot and Sour Soup, alongside stir-fried bak choy, jellyfish and cucumber shreds and Stir-fried Fish-Fragrant Chicken and Eggplant. Leftovers even better the next day, as the flavours sit and meld...

Got extra basil leaves? "Popcorn" Chicken (Yan Su Ji) is probably the most recognized and delectable popular street food from Taiwan-- irresistibly delicious and the aroma intoxicating. Chicken pieces are marinated with fragrant five-spice powder and deep-fried. Then the tender morsels are sprinkled liberally with salt and white pepper once out of the hot oil and served along attractive tasty crispy wispy fried Thai basil leaves. Nom Nom at its finest!

"Popcorn" Chicken (Yan Su Ji)

Pari Pari-Style Chicken...

School is back, which means crunch evenings filled with homework, extra-curricular activities, next-day lunch and snack preps, and earlier bedtimes. Quick and easy-to-make dinners has been helpful to get me through the first week. One I really enjoyed making and my family loved eating is Pari Pari style chicken, inspired from a cookbook recipe by the Martha Stewart of Japan, Harumi Kurihara. A wonderful economical chicken dish that takes on a lovely golden slightly crisp skin by blessing it with a brush of sesame oil halfway though oven-cooking. Paired with steamed rice and a crunchy creamy coleslaw (prepared while the chicken is baking), it makes for a satisfying meal that went from kitchen to table in an hour!.. Leaving more time to do other things on a school night! Now that's a good thing :D

Pari Pari-Style Chicken (adapted from Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking)
Makes 4 servings

8 chicken thighs on the bone with skin on
2 Tbsp. dry sherry (or sake)

1 tsp. mirin (sweet cooking wine)-- optional
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
dash of ground pepper
2 Tbsp. sesame oil (to coat the chicken)

Serve with:

Worcestershire sauce for dipping
Steamed rice (I like white or brown short grain)

Creamy cabbage salad (as a side)

Debone the chicken, and place bones in a sealed bag and freeze for soup broth use later. Mix together the wine(s), soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and pepper then marinate the chicken and cover for about 15 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, prepare the side cabbage salad (I like to also add chopped parsley or cilantro and thinly sliced red onions for colour and flavour) and tossed with Japanese Kewpie mayo. Make it ultra-crunchy by following these steps and tips in my Tonkatsu Pork Cutlet post.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place chicken skin-up on a foil-lined baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes then remove from oven (carefully drain the excess liquid) and brush thighs with sesame oil. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes more until the skin is crispy. Remove from the oven. While it is hot, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Look at that lovely golden brown skin. Aromatic, tender-moist and delicious! 

Serve with steamed rice and creamy cabbage salad. I sprinkled some toasted sesame seeds and slathered the chicken in Peri Peri hot sauce. The brand I like is hot and tangy Nando's. Peri Peri on Pari Pari-- why not?

Or a dip dip in that yummy Worcestershire sauce making every bite extra tasty!

More on the cookbook author for inspiration-- Harumi Kurihara (栗原 はるみ, born March 5, 1947) is a celebrity home-maker and television personality in Japan. She has never had formal training as a chef and is highly regarded for her satisfying home-cooking, combining traditional Japanese with nouveau Western influences, while accounting for the real-world time constraints of a housewife. Other recipes I've made from her books, include my take on her Ginger Pork (Shoga Yaki), Pork with Aromatic Vegetables and Teriyaki Hamburg Steak. Again, with the appeal of catering to the home-cook with simplicity and deliciousness.

Fishing Up A Whack of Brain Food Perfect For #Backtoschool...

What could be better than a healthy fish meal with the extended family?- A meal of mixed F.R.E.S.H line-caught fish that is... Returning from a boating trip in Lake Simcoe, my parents and sister's family were undeniably happy and with abundance (yu, the Chinese word for fish literally means abundance). What an exciting way to cap off the long weekend Monday for the birthday boy fisherman aficionado brother-in-law Quan. And the perfect smart food to eat for segwaying back to school! Yes if you Asian, you would have heard growing up over and over again at every fish dinner how brilliant it is for your brain and eyes in attempt to woo you to eat it! Chockful of nutrients and goodness, I try to incorporate fish at least once a week in our meal routine. 

Five minutes into casting the line, my 9-year old nephew Tevan catches a 5 lbs, 10 oz pike! 
(Will the pike taste good?... we won't know unless we try.)

Fishing Photo Credits: Trai Ng

My parents and my awesome nephews all looking sharp.

Everyone is a winner that day!

On the menu: Pike, large mouth and small mouth bass and some perch.

For messy jobs, doing it outside is best...

Notice the makeshift knife rest-- an empty paper towel roll, encircled with a few 
rubber bands (to make it slip-free). Gotta love my handy dandy parents :D.

Looking fresh and ready to hit the heat...

The large pike was filleted and cut into pieces and pan-fried. The other fish were steamed :D  

(Yes, the pike was delicious and the meat firm perfect for pan-frying)

See my post on Cantonese Steamed Fish with Green Onions and Ginger.

The kids digging in, and having their last supper of mainly fish, before heading back to school!

I hope you will have a great first week getting back-to-routine!

Food Revolution Toronto September Contest-- Packed School Lunches!

Resharing from Food Revolution Toronto:

September means back to school and we want to help you get off to a great start with this month’s extra special contest! A healthy and delicious lunch sets your kids (or you!) up for a productive day of learning and fun. 

I had created a Packed Lunch Series two years ago with a first week worth of daily Back-to-School creative lunches for my kids. A personal mission to challenge myself beyond the lack-lustre basic brown bag and learn somethings along the way to provide tips that has worked with my family and some inspiration for many of you going through the same-- (Creative Sandwiches, Make Once, Eat Twice, Creative Leftovers, and Compartmentalize). The key learning is getting your kids involved with the menu planning and cooking! And have some fun!

For more ideas and expert advice on packing with nutrition in mind, head over to Yummy Lunch Club with R.D Carol Harrison also a Toronto Revolution Ambassador that aims to equip everything you need to know to plan and pack healthy lunches that your kids will actually eat.

Creative Sandwiches, Make Once, Eat Twice, Creative Leftovers, Compartmentalize

For our contest, share a pic of your healthy lunch with our team on social media and you will be eligible to win not only a Jamie Oliver cookbook courtesy of HarperCollins Canada but also an OmieLife lunchbox!! This is no ordinary lunchbox – you can pack hot and cold foods all in one box and when you don’t want hot food, you can just remove the thermos! Think soup and a salad, pasta and some fruit, fried rice and a nice slaw – the options are endless! We will sharing all kinds of great ideas here and can’t wait to see your healthy school - or work - lunches! #omielife #omiebox #foodrevolution #backtoschool

How To Enter:

Show us your healthy lunch! Snap a photo of your lunch and tell us a little bit about what you made and how.

You MUST use the hashtag #CookwithFoodRevTO AND tag us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. That's it! Then you'll be entered to win a lunchbox and a cookbook!

Eligibility and Contest Rules:

– Contest begins on September 1st 2017 at 6am EST on and closes September 30th 2017 at 6pm EST.
– Prize consists of one (1) Jamie Oliver cookbook and (1) OmieBox lunchbox
– Open to readers of the age of majority with a Canadian mailing address.
– No purchase of any product necessary for entry.
– Winner will be chosen randomly (using random.org) from all qualified entries on September 30th 2017 after 6pm EST.
– Winner will be notified via email October 1st 2017 and will have 48 hours to respond to the email.
– Winner will be required to answer a skill testing question.