Scallion Oil Sauce
In Taipei, it is easy to find ready-cooked chicken, from the open air markets to the supermarkets. So I made this scallion oil sauce (洋蔥油) to go with the chicken I bought from a market in Taipei. This scallion oil is a nice condiment not just for chicken, but for noodles as well (洋蔥油麵).
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This is the cooked chicken I was talking about. I bought it Yong Chun market (永春市場) in the evening after work. It cost me only NT$120 for one plate of chicken drumstick, which is a steal compared with the prices back home. It comes already nicely cut so it’s super convenient. I ate most of it for dinner, and by the time I shot this scallion oil recipe the next day, I am only left with a few slices of chicken >_< (totally no self control).
The spring onions in Taiwan are labelled as scallions (青蔥), pictured above. They are generally longer than our spring onions, with more of the bottom white portion. It is very ideal for making scallion sauce, as to me, the white portion to me is the most aromatic. But don’t worry if you can’t find the exact variety of scallions locally. I have made this sauce many times back home, using our local spring onions with good results.
The main ingredient in this recipe is scallions (of course). I separate the whites from the green, chopped.
I also use grated ginger.
I briefly saute the bottom white scallions first to bring out the scallion aroma (pictured above). Then I add sesame oil and grated ginger, and cook for 30 seconds more. Taking the pan off the heat, I add in the rest of the scallions and seasonings, while the oil is still sizzling. It is really easy.
This sauce is great as a condiment for most dishes, but I use it mainly for accompanying steamed chicken or dressing plain noodles. I personally like my scallion oil slightly over-salted for it to go well with any dishes I am eating it with.