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Sesame chicken stew with plain rice and red wine

Ghana chef Elijah Amoo Addo recommends this recipe for lovers this weekend, it uses sesame seeds which are good for health.

While Social Entrepreneur and chef Elijah Amoo Addo will be spending his Valentine's Day helping Ghana' s vulnerable communities, for those who want to make a special meal to celebrate the day of love, he recommends this dish from food website, Brown Eyed Baker.

Elijah is the founder of Food for All Ghana, a charity that works to feed those in need by collecting excessive food products and redistributing them.

He says sesame seeds are good for health, and this recipe shows they can be used to make an everyday meal exciting.

The meal is a Sesame Chicken Stew, which can be served with rice. A glass of red wine will make it extra special.

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Ingredients for the marinade1 cup chicken stock½ cup water½ cup soy sauce¼ cup honey¼ cup rice wine vinegar3 tablespoons light brown sugar2 tablespoons cornstarch1 tablespoon sesame oil (Asian stores will sell this)1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks

Ingredients for the sauce1 tablespoon sesame oil2 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger1 teaspoon chili paste (can substitute a couple pinches of red pepper flakes)

For the chicken

3 egg whites1½ cups cornstarch½ cup all-purpose flour½ teaspoon baking soda

6 cups vegetable oil, for fryingSesame seeds, to garnishScallions, sliced, to garnish

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Instructions

How to make the marinade: whisk the chicken stock, water, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch and sesame oil in a bowl. Then place six 6 tablespoons of the mixture into a zip lock storage bag and add the chicken; seal and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Set aside the remaining marinade in the bowl.

While the chicken is chilling in the marinade, heat the 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, ginger and chili paste for two minutes then add 2 cups of the reserved marinade to the skillet and simmer, whisking constantly, until the mixture has become a darker brown and thickened. Remove from the heat and cover.

To prepare the chicken for coating and frying, whisk the egg whites in a shallow dish until foamy; set aside. Combine the cornstarch, flour, baking soda, and remaining marinade in a second shallow dish; mix using a fork until it resembles coarse meal.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and from the marinade. Pat the marinated chicken dry with paper towels.

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Heat the oil in a sturdy pot over medium high heat, and while it is heating, prepare the chicken for frying. Toss half the chicken into the foamy egg whites until well coated, then dredge the chicken in the cornstarch mixture, pressing to adhere. Transfer the coated chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Fry half the chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes, turning each piece halfway through cooking. Transfer the cooked chicken onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Return the oil to 350 degrees. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Warm the sauce over medium heat until simmering. Turn off the heat and add the fried chicken pieces. Toss to coat and serve, sprinkling with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

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