
The fourteenth recipe in this series of Family History Recipes comes from Owen. He brought in Chicken Hekka!
According to Owen, “Chicken Hekka was a recipe from my Great Uncle Charlie, on my father’s Japanese-Hawaiian side.” It was his “uncle’s staple of any family gathering.”
This dish made the whole office smell amazing! Fragrant and delicious, with crunchy veggies and noodles that trapped the flavors of the dish, chicken hekka was a hit with all of us. Taste Tester Jamie was eager to dive in and got a large first bite. Even before she finished chewing, Jamie said how wonderful it was. This dish earned a big thumbs up!
Recipe: Chicken Hekka
Chicken Hekka was a recipe from my Great Uncle Charlie, on my father’s Japanese-Hawaiian side. The Cucumber Tsukemono comes from my grandmother’s mother. According to my grandmother, Chicken Hekka and Cucumber Tsukemono were my uncle’s staples of any family gathering. He would be cooking with his electric skillet and two cans of beer; one for himself, and one for the dish. - Owen
Ingredients:
- 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- ¾ cup mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
- 2 tablespoons salad oil
- 2-inch piece ginger root, grated
- 3 medium carrots, julienne
- 2 onions, sliced
- 1 can (14 oz) shredded bamboo shoots, drained
- ½ lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 bunch watercress, cut into 2-inch lengths
- 8 oz pkg long rice noodles, soaked and cut into 2-inch lengths
Directions:
- Slice chicken into serving pieces.
- Combine sugar, soy sauce, and mirin.
- In a skillet or wok, heat oil to medium high.
- Squeeze juice from grated ginger into wok.
- Add ginger and stir fry until brown; discard ginger fibers.
- Add chicken and stir-fry over high heat.
- Add soy sauce mixture and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add vegetables, one at a time, and stir-fry after each addition.
- Add long rice noodles and cook for 3 more minutes, or until done.
(Adapted from Chicken Hekka | Hawaiian Electric