Chicken with black bean and coriander
“Coriander is popularly associated with Asian cuisines but the herb and especially its pungent seeds were known to the ancient Egyptians.”
- 4 tbsp of fermented, dried black beans
- 1 large onion
- 1 large green capsicum
- 300g of boned chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2cm piece of ginger
- fish sauce
- 1 tbsp of dark soy
- sesame oil
- 1 cup of roughly chopped coriander
The fresh leaves as well as the tender roots are used to flavour many classic oriental preparations, such as a Thai green curry paste, but the dried seeds are indispensable in everyday staples such as curry powder, Indian masalas, chutneys, sausages, frankfurts and hot dogs.
Method
Soak 4 tablespoons of fermented, dried black beans in a bowl with plenty of cold water for 15 minutes, then rinse well.
Chop a large, peeled onion into 1/2cm wedges. Cut a large green capsicum into 2cm tiles. Cut 300g of boned chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Heat 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a wok or heavy saucepan. Just before it begins to smoke, add the onions, capsicum, 3 minced cloves of garlic and a 2cm piece of minced ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds and add the chicken. Fry for 2 minutes, add the rinsed black beans, a good splash of fish sauce and a tablespoon of dark soy. Simmer for a minute or two more, check for seasoning, add a few drops of sesame oil and take off the heat.
To serve
Transfer to a serving plate and scatter on a cup of roughly chopped coriander.
Serve with jasmine rice.
Serves 4.
