Steps

1. Halve the Itogreen Peppers lengthwise, remove the seeds, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
   🕒 01:24
2. Thoroughly drain the firm tofu by patting it dry with paper towels, then slice into 1cm thick pieces.
   🕒 02:00
3. Slice the onion into slightly thick pieces.
   🕒 09:36
4. Thinly slice the ginger and garlic.
   🕒 10:44
5. Rinse the chicken thighs under water, pat dry with paper towels, and cut into pieces slightly larger than bite-sized.
   🕒 02:25
6. Season both sides of the cut chicken with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.
   🕒 02:57
7. Lightly coat the chicken pieces with all-purpose flour. (Key Technique!) Coating with flour helps the flavors penetrate better and thickens the sauce during simmering.
   🕒 03:54
8. Beat 1 egg and coat the floured chicken pieces evenly.
   🕒 04:55
9. Heat 2 tbsp+ of Toasted Sesame Oil in a frying pan. Add the drained firm tofu and cook over medium-low heat until browned on both sides.
   🕒 05:30
10. Once the tofu is browned, remove it from the pan.
    🕒 06:40
11. In the same frying pan, add the prepared chicken thighs and cook over medium heat, starting with the skin side down.
    🕒 07:06
12. Once both sides of the chicken have browned, remove it from the pan. It's okay if the inside is still slightly raw.
    🕒 08:52
13. Add the sliced onion to the frying pan with the remaining chicken fat, and sauté until softened and slightly colored.
    🕒 09:36
14. Once the onion is softened, add the thinly sliced garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until fragrant.
    🕒 10:44
15. When the onion has developed a good color, return the browned chicken thighs to the frying pan.
    🕒 11:00
16. Add Shaoxing Wine (5 tbsp), Soy Sauce (5 tbsp), and Sugar (4 tbsp). Stir-fry and reduce the sauce, aiming to caramelize the soy sauce and sugar. (Key Technique!) By stir-frying the soy sauce and sugar over high heat until caramelized before adding water, you achieve a rich flavor without using a soup base.
    🕒 11:20
17. Once it reaches a caramelized state, add water until the ingredients are just covered.
    🕒 12:35
18. Add a pinch of pepper, cover, and simmer over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
    🕒 13:08
19. Return the browned firm tofu to the pot.
    🕒 13:43
20. Add ketchup (1 tbsp), cover, and simmer for another 2 minutes.
    🕒 14:13
21. After simmering, add the cut Itogreen Peppers to the pot. Drizzle in vinegar (1 tbsp) and sesame oil (2 tbsp).
    🕒 15:38
22. Mix everything together well. Once the sauce has thickened, it's ready to serve.
    🕒 16:05