Chicken and Mushroom Stew

Chicken and Mushroom Stew

Ingredients

• 1000 chicken
• 50 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 3 star anise
• 6 dried red chili peppers
• 20 leek
• 20 (use in two batches) ginger
• about 13 salt
• 20 light soy sauce
• 5 dark soy sauce
• 10 oyster sauce
• as needed cooking oil
• 20 (use in two batches) cooking wine
• 17 white sugar

Instructions

1. I used a frozen free-range chicken from JD Fresh (any chicken works). Thaw naturally, then clean and trim off the tail and feet.
2. Clean the dried shiitake mushrooms and soak them in 1300ml cold water for 3 hours ahead of time.
3. Chop the cleaned chicken into small pieces. Place in a pot with cold water, 12g sliced ginger, and 10g cooking wine. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove the lid and skim the foam. Continue blanching uncovered for 1 minute (leaving the lid off helps release the gamey smell), then drain.
4. This is what it looks like after boiling — there will still be quite a bit of foam. Skim it off.
5. After skimming, it looks much cleaner!
6. Remove the blanched chicken and drain.
7. 1. Remove the soaked mushrooms and drain. 2. Bring the mushroom soaking water to a boil and skim off any foam (photo of mushroom water omitted).
8. Add cooking oil to a wok. Add the scallion sections, star anise, dried chili segments, and 8g sliced ginger. Stir-fry until fragrant.
9. Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry briefly. Pour 10g cooking wine along the edge of the wok (the heat evaporates the wine to remove gamey smell and enhance flavor). Stir a few times, then add dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and salt. Continue stir-frying for about 2 minutes.
10. This is what it looks like after adding all the seasonings and stir-frying briefly.
11. Add about 1000ml of the hot mushroom soaking water (enough to submerge the chicken — this amount is just a reference). Add the mushrooms, cover, and start braising. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and maintain a gentle simmer. Note: If adding glass noodles, use more water. Soak the noodles in cold water beforehand and add them in the last 5 minutes. If adding noodles, increase all seasonings proportionally.
12. After 35 minutes of braising, this is what it looks like with the lid off. You can reduce the sauce or leave it as is. (This chicken was tender and fully cooked in 35 minutes. True free-range chicken needs about 1.5 hours, requiring more water. Add all the water at once — don't add more midway.) Before serving, add chicken bouillon powder, a drizzle of sesame oil, and chopped scallions. The dish is aromatic, savory, and rich without being greasy!
13. How much sauce to leave is up to you. Taste before serving — if it's too bland, add salt; if too salty, leave more sauce. Enjoy!