Cold Weather Comfort Food Sesame Chicken Recipes

COLD SESAME CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and sprinkle with five-spice powder, rubbing seasoning into the flesh.
• Transfer chicken to a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add 4 to 6 cups water, just to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a bare simmer. Add scallions, ginger slices, star anise and turmeric. Simmer very gently until tender, about 45 minutes.
• Remove chicken to cool on a baking sheet. (For faster cooling, submerge chicken in ice water.) Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
• Make the glaze: Put soy sauce, sugar, cayenne, garlic, toasted sesame oil, ginger and 1/2 cup cooking liquid in a shallow saucepan or small skillet over medium-high heat. Simmer rapidly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Chop bone-in chicken into 1-inch chunks with a sharp cleaver or large chef's knife. (Remove bones before chopping, if preferred. If using drumettes or boneless thighs, leave whole.) Arrange chicken on a serving platter.
• Brush glaze onto the meat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and peanuts. Add chiles (if using), cilantro and scallions. Surround with mustard greens or lettuce leaves, if using. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

COLD SESAME NOODLES WITH SMOKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Bring a pot with 3 to 4 quarts water to a boil for ramen or thin spaghetti. If using thin spaghetti, you'll need baking soda as well (see Cook's Note). Ramen does not require salt to be added into water.
• Take 4 scallions and trim, cut into thirds and slice lengthwise; put in ice cold water to curl the scallions. Thinly slice the remainder of the 2 bunches on a bias and reserve.
• For dressing, in a food processor, combine tahini paste, shoyu or soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, mirin, toasted sesame oil, ginger, garlic, chili paste or sauce and light brown sugar. Process sauce until smooth and add a splash of bottled or filtered water if necessary to thin--sauce should be creamy but pourable. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Drop ramen or pasta into boiling water and cook ramen 4 minutes (thin spaghetti about 6 minutes). Drain and cold rinse, then drain again. Toss ramen with sauce, sliced scallions, three-quarters of the cucumbers and three-quarters of the chicken. Drain scallion curls. Arrange noodles in shallow bowls and top with scallion curls, remaining chicken and cucumbers, lots of sesame seeds and a few dollops of chili paste if desired.

COLD WEATHER COMFORT FOOD: SESAME CHICKEN

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• THE SAUCE
• Gather your ingredients.
• In a large (non-reactive) bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce, and reserve.
• Chef's Note: The traditional way to make this is with cornstarch; however, I like the depth the flour gives to the sauce.
• Chef's Tip: If you want to add an additional layer of flavor to this dish, toast the flour in a dry pan over medium heat, before adding it to the other ingredients.
• THE CHICKEN
• Gather your ingredients.
• Take a medium bowl, and whisk together the egg and cornstarch.
• Add the cut up chicken, and toss to evenly coat with the mixture.
• Add the sesame oil to a skillet over medium-high heat.
• When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken.
• Chef's Tip: Shake off any excess egg before placing into the pan.
• Keep the pan active (stirring) while the chicken is cooking.
• Cook until the chicken is cooked through and beginning to brown.
• Add the reserved sauce to the skillet, and turn the heat down to medium low.
• Continue to cook until the sauce thickens, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Serve over some long-grain white rice, with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and maybe a fortune cookie on the side. Enjoy
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.