Chicken 'Botang'
Serves 4. Estimated labor time: 45 minutes. Estimated total time: 12 hours (for brining chicken). Estimated cost: $15 (for organic chicken).
2 large chicken breasts, about 2 lbs
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp peppercorns
1 cup boiling water
2 cups chilled water
1 large white onion, halved and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
Stab holes in chicken breasts to prepare for brining. Dissolve salt and sugar in boiling water, add peppercorns, stick in freezer to cool. When tepid, add chilled water and cover chicken breast with the resulting brine in a closed container. Refrigerate for 8-12 hours. If you need more time than this before cooking chicken, drain and thoroughly rinse breasts, and return to refrigerator in closed container. (This prevents chicken from getting too salty.)
Sautee onions and garlic in oil. Keep burner heat at around '7', and stir regularly to evenly dissipate heat and moisture. Do not cover. When onions are clear and soft, add ketchup and mustard. Periodically stir in a little water to prevent sauce from sticking. Rinse brine and peppercorns off breasts, and cut into bite sized pieces. When the sauce is boiling, add chicken pieces and stir gently. Turn chicken for even cooking. Do not over-cook! Pieces should be tender and ever so slightly pink inside, but not raw.
I made up the name 'Botang'. It sounds vaguely 'South China Sea' to me. Ethnic!