Taiwanese · lunch, dinner
Ma You Ji (Taiwanese Sesame Oil Chicken Soup)
麻油雞
Video by 莊師傅的廚房 on YouTube, in Chinese · Open on YouTube
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: Sesame. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Chicken simmered with ginger and rice wine: about 52 g protein and 11 g net carbs a bowl, with about 3 g added sugar and no added salt; rich in selenium and zinc. It is rich in fat too (about 53 g a bowl, half of it from the sesame oil).
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Ingredients 7
Method
The cook speaks Chinese; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.
- Have the chicken chopped into large pieces so it stays juicy. Rinse it and pat it completely dry with paper towels so it won't spatter, and slice the ginger. 0:45
- Heat 3 tbsp sesame oil, add the 100 g ginger slices and fry over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Lift the ginger out and keep it. 1:32
- Put the chicken into the same oil over medium-high heat and pan-fry rather than stir: leave it until one side is golden, turn, and fry until browned all over. 2:34
- Turn the heat to low, return the ginger, pour in 300 ml rice wine and 3 tbsp black sesame oil and let it bubble briefly so the alcohol cooks off and leaves a sweet aroma. 3:23
- Transfer to a soup pot, add 1 litre water, bring to the boil, then simmer on low for 15 minutes. 4:24
- After 10 minutes add 10 g rock sugar and simmer 5 minutes more. Serve hot. 4:54
Tip. Serves 2–3. A Taiwanese winter and post-partum classic, often served over mee sua noodles; on its own it stays low in carbs. Pour off some of the oil before serving if you want it lighter.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 3
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 6%
- Protein 29%
- Fat 65%
Very low carb: under 10% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Selenium High82%
45 µg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (99%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin B6 High51%
0.9 mg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (87%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Zinc High34%
3.7 mg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (95%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin B12 High23%
0.6 µg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Iron Source17%
3.1 mg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (78%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Omega-3 Source17%
0.3 g a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (67%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Magnesium Source16%
69 mg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (62%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Potassium Source15%
680 mg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (61%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin A Source10%
88 µg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (100%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Show the other 6
Vitamin E7%
1 mg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (55%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin K7%
8.2 µg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (55%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Folate4%
14 µg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (67%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Calcium3%
41 mg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (68%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin C2%
1.7 mg a serve, mostly from old ginger (100%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin D1%
0.2 µg a serve, mostly from free-range chicken (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by 莊師傅的廚房; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.