Ginger Green Bean Chicken and Rice

I just love ginger.  I love all of these ingredients. I'm getting a sauce that I really like.

1/3 cup soy sauce.

1/3 cup of white wine.  There was some left over from last night, really.  

1 T. Rice Vinegar.  I prefer rice vinegar in most salads and sauces. 

1/2 c. water and

2 T. Ketchup

1/4 c. brown sugar

2 cloves garlic or more or less to taste.

This ugly thing is ginger.  I love it.  I rub it behind my ears.  It makes me happy and I could use a little happy.

Peel the skin of the one end of it with a small paring knife, then grate it until you have one 1 T.  Put the rest in a baggy and put in the freezer for next time.  Use it again.

Mince the garlic.  This is my favorite way, but do what ever makes you feel good.  It's important to take your time and feel good. 

Squeeze and it comes out minced.  It's the simple things that do it for me.

I'm not ashamed to stand here and enjoy this for a minute.  I might have mentioned that garlic and ginger make me happy.  At least a time or two.  It all goes into the sauce. 

Mushrooms.  I quarter them, because I like the texture in the dish.  I really don't slice mushrooms much any more.

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, but into bite size pieces.  I've mentioned that I don't buy this much.  Whole chickens are frugal.  The bone in pieces have more flavor in certain types of cooking, but for this recipe this is the thing.  

A good mess of green beans.

Papa is watching Lord of the Rings which will make him happy.   He hasn't given her too much ice cream, yet. I'm getting in my zone.  Should be a good night. 

In my cast iron skillet, 1 T. oil, heated to medium high.  Dry the chicken pieces with a paper towel and drop a third of the chicken into the skillet at a time, browning the pieces.  The brown crispy bits taste good, so take the time.  

Transfer the browned meat to a pie plate and add more until it's all cooked. Into warming drawer, you go, chicken.  

Any other T. oil heated in the cast iron and add the vegetables.  Cook on medium high, turning vegetables with a spoon. 

The vegetables start to brown.  The mushrooms start to sweat and soften.  The beans brown and soften just a little bit.  Be bold.  Keep at it until the beans start to get a little tender.  You'll still get a snap. Into the a pie plate and into the warming drawer for the vegetables.  And wait until the movie watchers are ready.

Now to finish.  But first a little story.  I didn't eat much Chinese or Asian style food until I was an adult.  I grew up in a small town. Not even a McDonalds, let alone much ethic choices.  But there was one place, the Bamboo Terrace.  We went there for Dad's birthday.  He ordered the same thing each time, a Tempura Fried Shrimp.  I remember it being a pretty chessy place, but the great thing about it was the koi pond.  I'd never seen anything like it, big gold fish swimming around.  We kids got to order pork chow mein and a Shirely Temple.  I got to have as much soy sauce as I liked.  Heaven.  I've always been a salt freek.  I love salty things.  But I've gotten off track.  

Put both the chicken and vegetables back in the skillet.  Pour the sauce over it and bring up the heat.  You'll need to thicken it. 

Corn starch and water whisked together.  Once the sauce starts to boil, pour a little in and stir.  You won't know how much the corn starch will thicken unless it's boiling.  Add some more until it's as thick as you want.

A pot of rice.  And remember to start another movie.  

Coming next, the 3rd in the Traditional Food is Cheap.