Happy meal #7: Familiar favourites

My mum is an awesome cook and I used to be spoilt silly by her food when I was still living with her. I took it for granted that she would always be feeding me and never stopped to appreciate her efforts.

Now that I have moved out, I started craving for the food that she cooks. One of my favourites (never realised it till now!) is actually chicken stir-fried in dark soya sauce and ginger. It’s deceptively simple but the taste is so delicious, especially when you are having it pipping hot late at night. Deciding to arm myself with the ability to recreate it at home, I gave my mum a ring and got her to share the recipe with me.

I haven’t stated the amount of dark soya sauce – like many cooks of her generation, she doesn’t measure out her ingredients but adds them based on instinct. She told me to add according to my preferences and I did just that. I used drumlets out of convenience but you can use any other parts.

The result? Not quite as tasty as mama’s but it’s a start!

What you need (serves two):

* 1 packet of drumlets
* 1 small ginger – julienned
* 1 clove of garlic – crushed and chopped
* 1 tsp of corn flour
* Dark soya sauce
* Cooking oil (I use olive oil since the temperature won’t get too high)
* 1/2 cup water

Marinade:

* 1 tbsp sesame oil
* 1 tbsp light soya sauce
* A dash of pepper
* A dash of salt

Directions:

* Marinate the chicken and leave it for about 30 minutes.
* Heat the oil up in the wok.
* Add the garlic and ginger and fry till fragrant.
* Add the chicken drumlets and fry for about 5 to 8 minutes.
* Pour in the water and stir the drumlets around.
* Add dark soya sauce.
* Mix the corn flour with a bit of water and then swirl it into the chicken.
* Cook for another 5 minutes till it simmers and reduces to a thicker consistency.

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