Red tea and boiled chicken seldom appear in the same dish. However, Japanese singer-songwriter Sachiyo Nakagaki grew up eating a brow-raising dish of chicken breasts infused with red tea, mirin, sake and Japanese soya sauce.
The novel dish is the brainchild of her mother, who is an avid cook and relishes experimenting with ingredients. Nakagaki shares: “My mother’s recipes went beyond ordinary dishes and most of her recipes centre around the idea of using local ingredients with Japanese seasoning.”
The novel dish is the brainchild of her mother, who is an avid cook and relishes experimenting with ingredients. Nakagaki shares: “My mother’s recipes went beyond ordinary dishes and most of her recipes centre around the idea of using local ingredients with Japanese seasoning.”
Sachiyo serves her dish of red tea chicken in a Teishoku-style set with vegetable side dishes, rice and fruit. (Photo: Sachiyo)
A Tea-rific Idea
Red tea chicken was a hit at many social gatherings that her father threw for his business clients and staff at his home. She adds: “Our biggest record was inviting 135 guests to our home on New Year’s Day in 1990s.”
Besides special occasions, red tea chicken also appears frequently in family dinners. The dish is served in a set that includes two side dishes, such as boiled garlic shoots in a soya sauce and vinegar marinade, and boiled ladyfingers in plum sauce, and is served with rice, pickles, miso soup and fruit.
The aromatic dark red-hued chicken chunks are infused with tea, soya sauce, mirin, sake and chicken chop, and topped with shiraga negi (Japanese leeks) and chestnuts for added crunch.
From the age of 10, Nakagaki learnt to cook from her mother, starting with the classic Japanese curry rice. Although most meals are whipped up by her mother these days, Nakagaki, who lives in Singapore, has made a promise to cook dinner twice a week no matter how busy she is. Some of her must-cooks are grilled shishamo fish seasoned with onions and vinegar, pork shogayaki (ginger pork) with sautéed onions with garlic and soya sauce, and vegetable consommé.
Red tea chicken was a hit at many social gatherings that her father threw for his business clients and staff at his home. She adds: “Our biggest record was inviting 135 guests to our home on New Year’s Day in 1990s.”
Besides special occasions, red tea chicken also appears frequently in family dinners. The dish is served in a set that includes two side dishes, such as boiled garlic shoots in a soya sauce and vinegar marinade, and boiled ladyfingers in plum sauce, and is served with rice, pickles, miso soup and fruit.
The aromatic dark red-hued chicken chunks are infused with tea, soya sauce, mirin, sake and chicken chop, and topped with shiraga negi (Japanese leeks) and chestnuts for added crunch.
From the age of 10, Nakagaki learnt to cook from her mother, starting with the classic Japanese curry rice. Although most meals are whipped up by her mother these days, Nakagaki, who lives in Singapore, has made a promise to cook dinner twice a week no matter how busy she is. Some of her must-cooks are grilled shishamo fish seasoned with onions and vinegar, pork shogayaki (ginger pork) with sautéed onions with garlic and soya sauce, and vegetable consommé.
A Singapore-Japanese Treat For The Ears
The Japan-born songbird will perform at her A Song Of Life concert on 27 June at the Esplanade Recital Studio. The singer blends unique Singapore and Japanese elements in her songs that spans genres such as jazz, pop and bossa nova. For her upcoming concert, fans can expect “a new type of Japan-Singapore collaborative music”. She says: “I will showcase my original compositions that are arranged and performed by Singapore music directors and musicians.” She performs annually in Singapore. Last year, she marked her 20th anniversary in the music industry with a concert.
At the upcoming concert, Nakagaki will perform a song that tugs the heartstrings of many
The Japan-born songbird will perform at her A Song Of Life concert on 27 June at the Esplanade Recital Studio. The singer blends unique Singapore and Japanese elements in her songs that spans genres such as jazz, pop and bossa nova. For her upcoming concert, fans can expect “a new type of Japan-Singapore collaborative music”. She says: “I will showcase my original compositions that are arranged and performed by Singapore music directors and musicians.” She performs annually in Singapore. Last year, she marked her 20th anniversary in the music industry with a concert.
At the upcoming concert, Nakagaki will perform a song that tugs the heartstrings of many
Singaporeans — Home, which was originally performed by local singer Kit Chan at the National Day Parade in 1998. Nakagaki says: “It is an honour for me that Dick Lee has agreed to let me do a Japanese version of Home and I am looking forward to sharing this song with everyone.”
The song also resonates with Nakagaki, who spent much of her growing up years in Singapore. She came here at the age of four when her parents relocated from Japan for work. Having grown up in an apartment in Balestier, Nakagaki is well-acquainted with Singapore food and can pepper her orders with Singlish at her food haunts, some of them are under-the-radar gems.
Fond Childhood Food Memories
Her favourite Singapore dishes include bak kut teh from the Ng Ah Sio chain and 333 Bak Kut Teh stall in Balestier Road, chicken rice from Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice in Maxwell Road Food Centre and The Big Bird in Balmoral Plaza, and Teochew-style cold crab at Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine.
Although she returned to Japan to further her studies at 15, Nakagaki still has many fond childhood memories of dining in Singapore. She recalls: “On my birthdays, my parents brought me to eat steak and escargot at the now-defunct Fresco Restaurant in Orchard Towers.
Her favourite Singapore dishes include bak kut teh from the Ng Ah Sio chain and 333 Bak Kut Teh stall in Balestier Road, chicken rice from Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice in Maxwell Road Food Centre and The Big Bird in Balmoral Plaza, and Teochew-style cold crab at Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine.
Although she returned to Japan to further her studies at 15, Nakagaki still has many fond childhood memories of dining in Singapore. She recalls: “On my birthdays, my parents brought me to eat steak and escargot at the now-defunct Fresco Restaurant in Orchard Towers.
I have unforgettable memories of happy conversation and great food.”
Another nostalgic food memory was visiting the Coffee House at the now-defunct ANA Hotel in Nassim Hill for ‘orange coffee’ that was served flambe-style, as well as slurping on the delicious borsch at Troika restaurant.
Asked if she whips up any Singapore dishes? She says: “Unfortunately I don’t, as there are many good local restaurants so there’s no need to cook them lah.”
Another nostalgic food memory was visiting the Coffee House at the now-defunct ANA Hotel in Nassim Hill for ‘orange coffee’ that was served flambe-style, as well as slurping on the delicious borsch at Troika restaurant.
Asked if she whips up any Singapore dishes? She says: “Unfortunately I don’t, as there are many good local restaurants so there’s no need to cook them lah.”
Recipe: Red Tea Chicken
Ingredients
1kg chicken
4 bags BOH red tea
1,600ml water
6 Tbs soya sauce
6 Tbs mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
6 Tbs Japanese sake
1 cube chicken stock cube
12 pieces sweet roasted chestnuts
1/2 stalk shiraga negi (Japanese leek), julienned
Serves 4 to 5
Method
1. In a pot, bring 1,600ml of water to a boil and steep the red tea bags. Remove the tea bags.
2. Cut 8 to 10 pieces of chicken breast and place them into the pot of tea. Boil the meat for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken breast from the pot and cut the meat into 5cm-thick slices. Set aside.
3. In a clean pot, add soya sauce, mirin, sake and chicken stock cube and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the chicken slices back into the pot. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Flip the chicken slices every five minutes to ensure that both sides are cooked evenly. Add chestnuts and cook for five minutes.
4. To serve, place the chicken and chestnuts on a plate and garnish with shiraga negi on top. Serve.
Ingredients
1kg chicken
4 bags BOH red tea
1,600ml water
6 Tbs soya sauce
6 Tbs mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
6 Tbs Japanese sake
1 cube chicken stock cube
12 pieces sweet roasted chestnuts
1/2 stalk shiraga negi (Japanese leek), julienned
Serves 4 to 5
Method
1. In a pot, bring 1,600ml of water to a boil and steep the red tea bags. Remove the tea bags.
2. Cut 8 to 10 pieces of chicken breast and place them into the pot of tea. Boil the meat for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken breast from the pot and cut the meat into 5cm-thick slices. Set aside.
3. In a clean pot, add soya sauce, mirin, sake and chicken stock cube and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the chicken slices back into the pot. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Flip the chicken slices every five minutes to ensure that both sides are cooked evenly. Add chestnuts and cook for five minutes.
4. To serve, place the chicken and chestnuts on a plate and garnish with shiraga negi on top. Serve.
