Huang Men Chicken Rice (Braised Chicken with Rice)

Huang Men Chicken Rice (Braised Chicken with Rice)

Ingredients

• 2 chicken legs
• 10 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2 green pepper
• 2 potato
• 2 tbsp cooking wine
• a small handful rock sugar
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1.5 tbsp chicken bouillon
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 0.5 tbsp five-spice powder
• 1 tbsp ginger powder
• 3 slices ginger
• to taste dried chili / chopped chili
• 4 cloves garlic

Instructions

1. Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water. Wash them a few times first, as the soaking water will be used later.
2. Cut chicken legs into large pieces, rinse clean, and soak in cold water for 1 hour.
3. Add all marinade ingredients to the soaked chicken: light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, white pepper, ginger powder, oyster sauce, and five-spice powder. Marinate for 30 minutes.
4. The marinated chicken should be evenly colored.
5. All ingredients ready for a group photo!
6. Cut potatoes into irregular chunks and rinse to remove starch. Cut green peppers into pieces. Halve the dried mushrooms. If you like it spicy, prepare some chopped chili or dried chilies. Smash the garlic.
7. Heat oil in the wok.
8. Add potatoes and stir-fry briefly — this makes them more fragrant. Remove once lightly colored and set aside.
9. Add rock sugar to the remaining oil. Keep the heat low!
10. Caramelize the sugar but don't let it go too far or it will be bitter. When large bubbles form, quickly add the chicken.
11. Stir-fry over high heat until evenly colored.
12. Add ginger, garlic, chili, and bay leaf. Stir-fry until fragrant.
13. Add cooking wine to deglaze and remove any gamey smell.
14. Add oyster sauce.
15. Add light soy sauce.
16. Add white pepper.
17. Add dark soy sauce for color.
18. Add sugar to taste.
19. Stir-fry evenly, then add the dried mushrooms.
20. Pour in the mushroom soaking water — it must cover the chicken. If not enough, add boiling water. Add enough liquid at once; more broth means more flavor.
21. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim the foam, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
22. After 40 minutes, add the potatoes and cook for another 25 minutes.
23. Switched to an enameled cast iron pot for better reduction. You don't have to, but enameled pots make braised dishes more fragrant.
24. Add chicken bouillon for extra umami.
25. Add green peppers and cook for 3 minutes only — any longer and they'll lose their bright color.
26. Serve straight from the pot!