Quick Chicken in Black Bean Sauce with Fried Rice

Every food blogger would agree with me when I say way blogging changes how you cook. For me, not having too much time means I take time out only to make and photograph (sometimes this takes forever!) things I really, really like. Therefore, sweet bakes and desserts take centre stage for me. But today I cooked myself a Chinese meal.

Knowing my love for food, my aunt got me some bottled sauces that she uses back in London. Did I say bottled sauces? And you thought I’d never mention those words knowing my love for things made from scratch. But what’s a girl to do when it’s a gift, right? Although, I did use a whole lot of fresh vegetables! Now that I have a (somewhat) clear conscience, let me tell you what I did with my first bottle of Sharwood’s Black Bean and Red Pepper Sauce.


Chicken in Black Bean Sauce
Yield: 4 servings

2 chicken breasts, cubed and marinated with 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger and some salt (30 minutes should be fine, I left mine overnight in the fridge)
1 onion, quartered and separated
7 oz. / 200g mixed peppers
7 oz. / 200g broccoli
4 oz. / 100g mushrooms
4 oz. / 100g baby corn
Peanut oil for frying ( a little as you go)
1 bottle black bean sauce
1 cup water (or as per consistency desired)

1. Cut the vegetables except for the onion and fry them separately on high flame in a wok with just enough oil. Add salt, but not too much since the sauce already has enough of it. Also, the vegetables are going to cook further in the sauce, so leave them a little crunchy.
2. Now heat about 1 tbsp oil and add the cubes of chicken and onion to it. Let it cook till it’s not pink anymore and got a slightly golden ginger crust.
3. Add the reserved vegetables and the black bean sauce. Simmer for a few minutes and it’s ready!

Chicken fried rice
Yield: 4 servings

4 cups rice (leftover from yesterday or cooked a day before in chicken stock and refrigerated overnight, like I did)
4 oz. /100g chicken, diced finely
4 oz. / 100g mushrooms
1 carrot, diced finely
Some broccoli for the bust of green
2 scrambled eggs
Peanut oil for frying

1. Just like in the sauce, fry the vegetables separately.
2. Heat about 2 tablespoons oil in the wok and cook the chicken till it’s completely done.
3. Next, add the rice, stirring frequently so that it doesn’t get too crispy on the side that is in contact with the wok.
4. Add the vegetables. Stir a little more.
5. Let the rice heat through completely till you can see it steaming.
   

The rice turned out to be more delicious that I expected. It wasn’t something too elaborate since it was going to be paired with the chicken in black bean sauce, but yet it was excellent just served on it’s own. Cooking it in chicken stock gives it so much flavour. The chicken gravy turned out to be a tad on the sweet side, so the next time around I’ll add some fresh green chillies to counter that. All in all, a nice meal.

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