Mum’s braised ginger chicken

Fragrant with toasted sesame oil, a little soy and plenty of warming ginger, this is a simple, comforting braise. Served simply with steamed rice, it tastes like a warm hug.

Mum’s braised ginger chicken Credit: Armelle Habib

• serves

  4

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (60 ml) sesame oil
• 6 cm piece old ginger (see Note), skin on, sliced
• 6–8 chicken thigh fillets, cut in half
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• steamed rice, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the sesame oil in a wok or a frying pan over medium heat, add the ginger and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry until they start to brown, 4–5 minutes.
2. Add the salt, sugar, 2½ tbsp water and soy sauce and stir. Cover and allow to simmer for 7–8 minutes. Pour the Shaoxing wine over the top and simmer briefly, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Note

• Old ginger is spicier than regular young ginger and has a fibrous, dry texture. Find it at most Asian grocers. If you can't source any, use regular ginger instead.

Chinese-ish by Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu, published by Murdoch Books. (RRP $39.99). Photography by Armelle Habib.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.