Taiwan

Boneless bite-sized chicken thighs braised in soy sauce, rice wine, and fresh herbs. Served with jasmine rice and bok choy.

San Bei Ji is a popular Taiwanese dish. The “cups” in the name of the dish is a reference to the equal parts of soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine that are used to make it. Story behind the origin of the dish begin in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 AD). During a battle against the Mongols, Wen Tianxiang, a military general who was famous for his loyalty, was captured by the invading Yuan armies of Kublai Khan. Although he was tortured for 4 years, he refused to yield. Before Wen’s execution, a friendly prison warden cooked the chicken dish for him using the only three ingredients he could find, including lard, wine and soy sauce. After the execution, the prison warden went back to his hometown in Jiangxi and told the story of General Wen.