Soy Sauce Chicken and Fried Brown Rice

Since yesterday, the sun seems to be noticeably rising earlier and setting later, the birds have been happily chirping away into the late morning, and sour taste cravings are in the forefront.
Happy New Year, we have entered the year of the Goat!
As the Chinese New Year marks the beginning of seasonal Spring (not western calendar spring), the Goat is important to me.  I'm not sure what it symbolizes in Chinese astrology, but to me it symbolizes fraternal love.  Precisely, the love I have for my brother, and the reciprocal love he has for me.  Although my brother was born under the Rabbit and I myself under the Pig, the Goat has always been a heartwarming symbol for us (which my parents probably never will understand.)
So, as I probably won't be posting any goat recipes (unless that little buggar shares one with me), I'll be gorging on farmer's goat cheese all year while sharing my latest Sichuan Cuisine experiences.. which I am quite proud of as of yet.  The chicken has an almost roasted visual appeal, but a tender broth infused texture and flavor, which intrigued me when I ate it fresh off the stove, and again even more the next day!

Adapted from ChinaSichuanFood

Soy Sauce Chicken
Serves 4
Ingredients
Marinade:
4 chicken legs
1 inch piece ginger, grated
1 green onion, cut
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Rub the soy sauce all over the chicken, then add the grated ginger and green onion.  Marinate for 2 hours in the fridge.

Simmer:
2 inch piece ginger, sliced
2 bay leaves
5 star anis
3 dried red chiles
1 green onion, cut
1 cinnamon stick
white part of 1 leek, sliced

3 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp Shao Xing wine
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp sugar
Garnish:
chopped cilantro
Directions
1.  Place all the "simmer" ingredients in a pot or deep pan and bring to a simmer.  Let simmer for 5-7 minutes.

2.  Slide in the marinated chicken.  Bring to a boil, then cook covered and simmer for 20 minutes, flipping the chicken once.
3.  Turn up the heat a bit, flip chicken again, and cook, uncovered for another 5-10 minutes until done (you can tell by poking it.. if the juices run clear, it's done).

My own personal creation
Fried Brown Rice
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup seaweed (rehydrated)
1/2 cup wood ear mushrooms (rehydrated)
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup sliced leeks
1 green chile, seeded and sliced
2 eggs, beaten

1 cup cooked brown rice
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce Chicken Simmer Broth (once chicken is done cooking)
1 Tbsp black vinegar
Directions
1.  Heat half the oil in a wok and add the carrots and leeks.  Cook until fragrant, then add the chile and cabbage.  Make sure not to overcrowd the wok, pushing the "done" ingredients to the side to make room for the new ingredients in the center.
2.  When the cabbage starts to become tender, make room in the center and add the beaten eggs.  Let cook without touching for about 2 minutes, then stir into pieces.
3.  Make room in the center and add the rehydrated wood ear mushrooms and seaweed.  Heat through.
4.  Make room in the center again, add the rest of the oil, wait a few seconds, then add the cooked brown rice.  I used brown basmati rice.  I have a hard time using any other type of rice.  I don't know why, but it just doesn't seem "right."  Cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring only the rice, then stir everything together.
5.  Add the soy sauce broth and vinegar and stir fry another 30 seconds.

Serve hot, without the broth, garnished with some chopped cilantro.

This would have been excellent with some Goat.