Recipe-Dish-Steamed Chicken with Black Fungus 木耳蒸鸡

     A quite familiar steamed dish to almost all southerners in China might be the Steamed Chicken with Black Fungus. As a student, I should say, in my hometown, all restaurants in primary shools, junior middle schools, senior high schools and universities provide this and can do this right, though they may not cook so well generally. Besides, at home, mama cooks this well with dates and mushrooms. In my life, this is a never-miss. Thanks to the Chinese food shop I found here, I can have ingredients like black fungus and dates altogether. I just can’t wait to introduce you the recipe for this.

Enjoy the fun Fun FUNGUS!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 chicken or chicken thigh, cut to small pieces, don’t dice
• 3 slices ginger, stacked and sliced thinly
• a handful of dried black fungus, soaked in water, drained and cut to strips, add more if you like
• Dates, lycium and mushrooms help perfect the color and flavor, add some as you like, also soak in water first

Seasonings:

• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp corn flour
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp Chinese wine (Rice wine or Shaoxing wine)
• A little pepper will induce the flavor

Method:

1. Combine chicken with black fungus and seasonings in a deep plate. Put the dish in refrigerate covered for at an hour or just put it in ordinary temperature is OK.

2. Scatter sliced ginger, dates, lyceum and mushrooms over the chicken.

3. Steam at high heat for about 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked. Serve with white rice.

Time:

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Yield: serves 2 to 3

    Since this is a steamed dish, it may get lots of water in plate. Don’t pour those liquid out because the essence of chicken and other seasoning is in it. 1tsp or so, the sauce can light up your bowl of pure white rice.

    Someone will ask how to steam this. There are various solutions. For me, for the sake of saving electricity, I usually use my rice cooker to cook the rice and a small dish of this together by putting it on a steam tray.

Enjoy your homemade flavor!

Remember:

1.      Cooking time would be slightly varied between different cooking wares.

2.      Chinese dish can have a flexible ingredient proportion. Keeping trying and you will cook your new flavor. You may use other seasoning as well.

If you tried, don’t hesitate to share. Picture? Words? Essays? WELCOME!

Have difficulties? Let me help you.