Sweet Chilli Chicken & Egg Fried Samp

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Elevating Humbleness ...

Not quite South East Asian, neither quite Fusion style cooking. I call it amalgamated potluck cooking: combining interesting elements from assorted cuisines for an unexpected journey (so to speak).

With a smattering of preparation the day before, this dish becomes a simple, pleasing meal that can be put together at a leisurely tempo. Serve bowls full as a lazy, laid back Saturday lunch with best friends and a big game on the telly, or a late Sunday afternoon dinner – accompanied with generous quantities of ice cold Colombar, Blanc de blanc or a semi sweet Rosé after a day gallivanting all over.

The recipe scales up in direct proportions.

SWEET CHILLI CHICKEN & EGG FRIED SAMP

– PRINT RECIPE –

Recipe yields: 2 Portions

Preparation time: ± 24 hours

Cooking time: 60 min

Difficulty level: Easy

Special Equipment Required: 

1 x square, non-stick omelet pan – a round pan will also work.

Ingredients:

For the Egg Fried Samp:
Samp	170g / 250ml
Water	300ml
Dried bay leaves	3
Dried allspice berries	3
Optional: Fennel seeds	2.5ml
Extra large eggs, combined & well mixed	2
Sesame seed oil	5ml
Black pepper, freshly ground	0.5ml
White button mushrooms, thickly sliced	250g
Sunflower oil	15ml
Frozen garden peas, defrosted & rinsed	75g
Spring onions, finely sliced, white section only	2 medium / 1 large
Fish sauce	15ml
Fresh ginger, finely grated	5ml
Fine white pepper	0.5ml
For the Sweet Chilli Chicken:
Smoked, ready to eat chicken breast	1 / 125g – 150g
Wellington Sweet Chilli sauce	60ml

Square Omelet, Sliced

Method:

1.      Rinse the samp repeatedly in cold water until the wash water is clean. Discard any particles floating on or in the wash water. Discard any pieces that look like dried corn cob. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with fresh, cold water, cover and set aside for at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours.

2.      Drain the soak water and transfer the samp to a medium sauce pan. Add the 300ml clean water, bay leaves, allspice berries and fennel seeds. Heat over medium heat until boiling and turn it down until the water is simmering. Cover partially and simmer until the water is reduced to the level of the almost cooked samp, ± 35 minutes. Stir now and then to make sure the spices do not float on top.

3.      Turn the heat down to low, cover the pan completely and steam until all the water is absorbed, ± 15 minutes. Check frequently to confirm the samp is not burning. The samp will become glutinous and sticky when done. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until warm, not hot. Loosen with a fork, transfer to a microwave proof container and remove (and discard) the bay leaves and allspice berries.

4.      Add the sesame seed oil and black pepper to the egg. Mix well and pour into the hot pan. Cook until well done on both sides. Transfer the omelette to a plate and allow to cool warm. Use a sharp utility knife to cut it into small squares. Transfer to the warm samp. Do not mix.

5.      Sauté the mushrooms in the sunflower oil over medium high heat until well browned but not charred. Transfer to the warm samp. Do not mix.

6.      Add the peas, spring onions, fish sauce, ginger and white pepper to the samp as well. Do not mix.

7.      Chop the smoked chicken breast into rough dice. Add it and the Sweet Chilli sauce to the samp. Mix slowly, but thoroughly, with two wooden spoons to prevent the individual ingredients from becoming mush.

8.      Warm in a microwave at medium power. Taste and adjust the seasoning with extra salt and black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

Comments:

¨     White button mushrooms are the true sadomasochists of the vegetable world. The cook needs to do his worst to them to bring out the best in them flavour wise. Use Portobello mushrooms for a more pronounced mushroom flavour.

¨     The square omelet pan is not a cast in concrete requirement. A round pan will suffice.

¨     The sesame seed oil is cooked with the egg to prevent it from overpowering the final dish if added directly to the samp mixture. Sesame seed oil is similar to star anise and cinnamon when it comes to carelessly trampling all over the other components with its pervasive, robust flavour.

¨     Use a large aperture micro plane grater for the ginger to prevent it from blindly storming down the same domineering-everything-alley as sesame seed oil. Slice and dice the peeled ginger very finely with a sharp utility knife if you have time. The random bursts of ginger in the mouth add a touch of zing to the overall performance.

© RS Young, 2017

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Note:

Post updated on 2024.03.14 to include:

1. The updated Recipe for downloading as a PDF file, and

2. Recipe Title and Print Recipe, Recipe Index and Facebook & Pinterest follow links.