San Bei Ji
三杯雞·(sān bēi jī)
便當 (Biàndang) - The Taiwanese Bento Box for School and Office
Three cups: the name San Bei Ji translates to Three Cup Chicken, an old countryside ratio of one cup each of black sesame oil, soy sauce, and Michiu rice wine. Nobody uses a full cup of oil anymore, unless they want a trip to the cardiologist, though twenty smashed garlic cloves and rock sugar that blisters against the wok still define the pot. The real trick here isn't the ratio; it's temperature control. You have to slowly coax the flavor out of old ginger in sesame oil over low heat until the edges curl, then blast the heat at the end to reduce the sauce into a mahogany glaze before killing the flame and burying the whole thing in Thai basil. Pack the chicken into a stainless steel biàndang tin over hot rice tonight, and it becomes the ultimate prize to find in your lunchbox the next day.
Before you start
Whisk together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Michiu, and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar begins to dissolve.
Have your aromatics, chicken, and basil prepped and within arm's reach of the stove.
Ingredients
- boneless skinless chicken thighs1 1/2 lb
- neutral cooking oil2 tbsp
- black sesame oil2 tbsp
- old ginger1 large piece
- garlic cloves12 large
- fresh red chilies2 small
- light soy sauce3 tbsp
- dark soy sauce1 tbsp
- Taiwanese Michiu1/4 cup
- rock sugar or dark brown sugar1 1/2 tbsp
- Thai basil leaves2 cup
Method
- 01
Infuse the oils with the ginger over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the neutral oil, black sesame oil, and ginger coins to a large skillet or wok. Spread the ginger flat and let it fry gently until it shrinks, browns, and the edges curl. Do not rush this with high heat, or the black sesame oil will smoke and turn bitterly acrid.
- 02
Toss in the whole garlic cloves and sliced chilies and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
The whole garlic cloves will soften and sweeten during the braise, becoming almost like roasted chestnuts.
- 03
Raise the heat to medium-high, add the chicken, and sear for 2 to 3 minutes.
Push the aromatics to the perimeter of the pan and lay the chicken in the center. Let it sit undisturbed until the undersides develop a golden-brown crust, then toss until the outsides are no longer pink.
- 04
Pour in the sauce mixture, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes.
Give the sauce bowl a quick stir first to catch any settled sugar. No water is ever added to authentic San Bei Ji; the rice wine and chicken juices provide all the liquid needed to cook the meat through and tenderize the garlic.
- 05
Crank the heat to high and stir continuously for 2 to 4 minutes to reduce the sauce into a sticky glaze.
Known as shou zhi, this step is what separates a watery stir-fry from the real deal. Boil off the liquid until the sugar and soy caramelize into a thick, glossy syrup that clings tightly to the chicken, leaving only a sheen of fragrant oil at the bottom of the pan.
- 06
Kill the heat completely, dump in the Thai basil, and toss vigorously for 15 seconds.
Prolonged cooking destroys basil, turning it black and bitter. The residual heat of the pan is more than enough to wilt the leaves and release that unmistakable peppery, anise-like perfume.
Notes
Never substitute Chinese Shaoxing or Liaojiu cooking wine for the Michiu.
Mainland cooking wines are often salted and infused with five-spice or star anise, which will clash aggressively with the pure sesame and basil profile of Taiwan. If you cannot find Taiwanese Michiu, use a clean, dry Japanese sake.
Blend your oils if you only have standard toasted sesame oil.
Taiwanese black sesame oil is deeply roasted and earthy. Regular toasted sesame oil from the supermarket is fine, though slightly lighter; keep the 50/50 split with neutral oil so it doesn't burn.
Pack it for tomorrow's lunch.
Because it is cooked without water and heavily glazed in soy and sugar, this dish holds up brilliantly overnight and reheats like a dream in an office microwave over steamed white rice.