Home-Style Dishes
Stir-Fried Snow Peas with Chicken Slices
A light home-style dish, gentle on a recovering appetite
Why people make this dish
Snow peas are a versatile everyday vegetable: shredded with celery, carrot and black fungus they make a dish traditionally thought friendly for those watching blood pressure or blood sugar; stir-fried with squid, pork or chicken they’re simply delicious. Tender snow peas tossed with boned chicken thigh make for a quick, satisfying plate that’s hard to fault.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Anyone wanting a quick, light, everyday home-style stir-fry
- Traditionally regarded as gentle and friendly to a recovering appetite or lingering low-grade heat after illness
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Snow peas (he dou): traditionally said to settle the middle, move qi downward and promote urination; considered friendly when digestion is weak after illness
- Carrot (hong luo bo): adds color, crunch and natural sweetness
- Chicken thigh (ji tui rou): tender and savory, the protein that rounds out the plate
Ingredients (1 plate, 2–3 servings)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Snow peas | ~150 g (4 liang) | Strings removed, rinsed |
| Carrot | 1 segment | Cut into decorative slices |
| Chicken thigh meat | 2 thighs | Boned, sliced |
| Minced ginger | to taste | Aromatics |
| Minced garlic | to taste | Aromatics |
| Seasoning | as needed | A little marinade for the chicken |
Method
- Pull the tough strings off the snow peas and rinse. Slice the carrot decoratively. Bone the chicken thighs, slice, and marinate briefly with seasoning.
- Heat oil and fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add the chicken slices and stir-fry until cooked; set aside.
- Add the snow peas and carrot and stir-fry until fragrant. Return the chicken, splash in cooking wine, season, toss briefly, and plate.
Bro Niu’s tips
Snow peas are traditionally said to settle the middle, ease the qi downward and promote urination, which is why they’re considered friendly for people whose digestion is still weak after illness or who have some lingering low-grade heat.
Published March 5, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
