Bibimbap Rice Bento - Ginger Wine Chicken

I think Singaporeans are very lucky and pampered where dining options is concerned. Good meals are always available within minutes of walking and it can cost as cheap as from $2.00 onwards. I have never felt the necessity to add bulk to my bags by bringing my own bentos or lunchboxes to work or school. However, the story is different when I was studying overseas. The most economical meals I could get were from fast food joints in the city and I was pretty sure that I couldn't find anything below $4.00 (unless during clearance sale prior to stall closing).. Let's not even talk about the quality of food and the distance you need to travel to get them if you work or study in the suburbs.

I used to plan my timetable in such a way that my lectures and tutorials either end by noon or they start in the afternoon. That way, I can avoid having lunch in the uni. However, occasionally I did give in to the "luxury" of eating in the uni's Asian cafeteria - $8.00 for 1 serving of meat + 3 strands of fibre (sometimes they will give vegetable stems when they are out of leaves) + steamed rice. (FYI, no subsidies or cheaper rates even though these are campus vendors targeting students, if you compare to the food vendors in Singapore unis or polytechnics). So I "try" to cook extra for dinners, so that I can pack a bento for the next day.

From left: stir-fried Ginger Wine Chicken, blanched Kai Lan, poached egg, shredded omelette with ham and mixed veggie (covered over rice)

Recipe for stir-fried Ginger Wine Chicken - Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 fillets skinless chicken breasts (cut into 2cm strips)
5 slices ginger (julienned finely)
1 small garlic (chopped finely)
canola oil
spring onions

Seasonings:
2 tablespoons Shaoxing Chinese wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon dark soy
dash of sesame oil and salt

Preparation:
Combine seasonings in a bowl and marinate chicken strips for 10 minutes.

Cooking:

• Fry ginger in hot oil for 2 minutes until lightly browned.
• Add garlic and chicken, fry until fragrant.
• Add 1/4 cup water and simmer on medium heat for about 8 minutes until the water is reduced to 1/2, stirring occasionally.
• Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve.