Hong Kong, where East and West have met and exchanged ideas for a long time, has devised some dishes that to most American palates may seem more bizarre than stewed pigs’ ears. Among them is this recipe, stir-fried chicken with creamed corn. Yes: Canned cream corn, as in Jolly Green Giant or Clarence Birdseye. It’s not fancy, but it’s a good home-cooked dish, quick, easy, and convenient.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into roughly 1-inch chunks

　　2 tablespoons soy sauce

　　1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

　　1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, dry sherry, or white wine

　　2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

　　1 small fresh chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced, or hot red pepper flakes to taste

　　One 15-ounce can creamed corn

　　1 cup fresh, frozen, or canned corn kernels

　　Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

In a small bowl, mix the chicken with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and wine. Marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.

　　

Step 2

Put the oil in a deep skillet or large wok, preferably nonstick, and turn the heat to high. Drain the chicken. When the oil is hot, add the chicken to the skillet and cook, undisturbed, until the bottom browns, about 2 minutes. Stir once or twice and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low.

　　

Step 3

Add the garlic, ginger, and chile and stir; 15 seconds later, add both types of corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 3 or 4 minutes. Garnish and serve over white rice.

　　

Stir-Fried Beef with Creamed Corn

Step 4

Substitute 1 pound ground beef for the chicken. Proceed as directed, breaking it into small pieces while browning.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.