House Special Recipe

Rinse and start rice

Rinse 1 cup rice under cold water until water runs mostly clear. Combine rice with 1 1/4 cups water in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low and cook 15–18 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered 10 minutes.

While rice cooks, pat chicken dry and cut into 1-inch pieces. Season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Toss tofu cubes lightly with a pinch of salt.

If using shrimp, pat dry and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Mix sauce

In a small bowl whisk together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon hoisin, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock, 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional).

Make slurry

In a separate small cup mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water until dissolved. Set aside.

Sear chicken & tofu

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and sear 3–4 minutes until browned and nearly cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate. Add tofu cubes and sear 2–3 minutes per side until golden; transfer to the plate with chicken.

Cook shrimp

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add shrimp and cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Remove and set with proteins. If not using shrimp, skip this step.

In the same pan, add a little oil if needed and lower heat to medium. Add sliced onion and bell pepper and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Add mushrooms and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Return the seared chicken, tofu, and shrimp to the pan with the vegetables. Pour the prepared sauce over everything and bring to a gentle simmer for 1–2 minutes.

Stir the cornstarch slurry once more and pour into the simmering sauce while stirring. Continue to simmer 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the proteins and vegetables. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional soy or salt if needed. Drizzle 1 teaspoon sesame oil, toss in sliced scallions, and remove from heat.

Serve the house special over warm rice and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and extra sliced scallions if desired.