You'll Shoyu my eye!

I felt it necessary to start my blog with the episode that inspired me!

Television Show: Ask Aida

Recipe: Shoyu Chicken

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 to 6 pounds chicken thighs
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup mirin
• 8 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 4-inch piece ginger, sliced 1/2-inch thick and smashed
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 5 tablespoons water
• Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish

Directions

Combine all ingredients except cornstarch and green onions in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low and simmer, covered, turning occasionally, until chicken is tender, about 30 to 35 minutes more.

Remove chicken to a serving platter. Remove garlic and ginger and discard. Bring sauce to a boil, skim off excess fat, and cook until reduced slightly, about 10 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add chicken, turn to coat, and serve chicken with sauce and sliced green onions.

Now here is the question my friends; how can you make Shoyu Chicken without having Aloha Shoyu as an ingredient! I have had this dish using soy sauce and I have to tell you that skipping or substituting this ingredient is a huge mistake! Also Hawaiian food is not this complex; so why is she complicating it for the masses.

The REAL basic ingredients for Shoyu Chicken are:

Chicken thighs

Ginger

Garlic

Aloha Shoyu

Brown Sugar

Water

…and if you want to fancy it up; like if you have hot date and you want to impress him with your local cooking abilities that will have him coming back for more…not that I would ever do this.

Add:

Sesame Oil

Sesame seeds

And sprinkle some thinly slices of green onion for presentation haha! (I sound professional when I use words like ‘presentation’ so I couldn’t resist)

Please serve Shoyu Chicken over real rice. None of this brown healthy rice or even long grain rice and don’t even get me started on minute rice! Do yourself a favor and go to the supermarket and buy Homai: California Calrose Rice…short grain rice.  I promise you that this is the rice that the Gods eat.

My dear Aida I usually love your show….but I hate this one; and I have to ask you, why mirin???? You put mirin in sushi and such but never on Shoyu Chicken… I mean come on! Plus Low Sodium chicken broth and low sodium soy sauce; sheesh I know you want to appeal to the haolis but come on Aida?!?!.  Please my friends don’t waste your money on ingredients that will not add to the quality of this dish.