Adventures in the HYCH Kitchen / Asian Cuisine

Our HYCH Toasted Sesame Tamarind Habanero Hot Sauce is delicious on all kinds of dishes (vanilla ice cream and grilled peaches, for example ~ trust us, it's yummy!) but Pad Thai is our go-to for this sauce. Test out this recipe in your home kitchen and let us know how it turns out. We bet it becomes as much of a weekly favorite in your home as it is in ours!

Ingredients

• For the Sauce:
• 2 tbsp HYCH Tamarind Hot Sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp lime juice

• For the Pad Thai:
• 4 oz rice noodles
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
• 2 green onions, chopped
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Prepare the Sauce:
• In a small bowl, mix the HYCH Tamarind Hot Sauce, chicken broth, and lime juice. Stir well and set aside.
2. Cook the Noodles:
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the noodles and set aside.
3. Cook the Chicken:
• Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
• Add the sliced chicken breast to the skillet and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
4. Cook the Pad Thai:
• In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil.
• Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
• Push the garlic to one side of the skillet. Crack the egg into the other side of the skillet. Scramble the egg until fully cooked, then mix it with the garlic.
• Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet.
5. Combine Noodles and Sauce:
• Add the drained rice noodles to the skillet.
• Pour the prepared sauce over the noodles and chicken. Toss everything together to coat the noodles and chicken evenly with the sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing the noodles to absorb the sauce and heat through. You can always add more HYCH Tamarind and chicken broth if you want more sauce!
6. Add Vegetables:
• Add the bean sprouts and green onions to the skillet. Toss everything together and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly softened but still crunchy.
7. Serve:
• Divide the Pad Thai between two plates.
• Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro.
• Serve with lime wedges on the side for additional flavor.

We worked Oregon Winterfest in Bend, OR, in the snow this year (yes — for real, in the snow!) and one of the highlights of our weekend was treating ourselves to seriously amazing Bibimbap Bowls by local food cart Babe's Korean Kitchen. They were topped with sweet pickled carrots and cabbage, piping hot bulgogi beef and a perfectly fried egg. Of course, we added a drizzle of our own favorite HYCH Bibimbap Hot Sauce to each bowl before devouring every bite. 

Bibimbap is a traditional Korean dish made of steamed rice, steamed or pickled vegetables, protein and (our favorite part!) a fried egg on top. “Bibim” means mixed and “bap” means rice. The proper way to say Bibimbap is “bee-BIM-bap” and we don’t judge, say it however you like!

Ready to make your own HYCH Bibimbap Bowls at home? Follow Chef Matt's quick and easy recipe and don't skip the quick pickled cucumbers — they take it to the next level! 

What You Need

• Knife and cutting board
• At least one skillet
• Small sauce pan for pickles
• A small pot for the rice
• Bowl or plate for ingredients
• Bowls for serving Bibimbap
• Jar or lidded container to pickle the cucumbers

Ingredients for HYCH Bibimbap Bowls (serves 2) 

• 1 bottle HYCH Bibimbap Hot Sauce
• 2 cups short grain rice, cooked
• 1 pound spinach, rinsed and drained
• 6 oz Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 7 oz carrot (1 large carrot), thinly sliced
• 8 oz chicken thigh or breast
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp black sesame seeds

Ingredients for Quick Pickled Cucumbers

• 1 English or 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
• 2 Fresno chilies or other hot pepper
• 1/2 onion, julienned
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup sugar

• In small pan, dissolve sugar and salt in vinegar and water over low heat.
• Layer sliced cucumbers, onion and chili peppers in jar/container.
• Pour warm vinegar mixture over cucumbers, cover with lid.
• Set aside to cool for at least 30 mins.

How to Make the Bibimbap Bowls

• Cook rice and set aside.
• Chop chicken into small bite-sized pieces.
• Marinate chicken in 1-2 Tbsp HYCH Bibimbap Hot Sauce and set aside.
• Steam spinach in 1/4 cup of water for 2 minutes, squeeze out water and chop. Set aside.
• Saute mushrooms and garlic over medium heat until dry, set aside.
• Saute carrots for 3 minutes. Season with salt. Set aside.
• Cook chicken in saute pan, set aside.
• Cook two eggs sunny side up.
• Spoon cooked rice (about 1 cup) into a hot serving bowl.
• Arrange spoonfuls of carrots, mushrooms, spinach, and chicken on top of rice.
• Lay a fried egg on top of the ingredients. Be careful not to break the yolk!
• Top with pickled cucumbers and black sesame seeds.
• Drizzle HYCH Bibimbap Hot Sauce over the top of your bowl.
• Devour and enjoy!