4 servings
65 min. total
Easy Peasy
Simple Suppers
A classic Chinese dish that has a special place in Cantonese cuisine is. It is famous for its simplicity and delightful flavors, using steaming techniques to bring out their natural flavors. Belonging to the world of traditional Chinese comfort food, this dish captures the spirit of home cooking in Cantonese families. While not commonly found in restaurants, one of the key characteristics of this dish is its simplicity. With minimal ingredients and preparation required, it is a perfect option for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends. Its simplicity, combined with rich, earthy flavors and versatility, has made it a beloved option for simple suppers, providing a sense of comfort and satisfaction, especially when enjoyed with a bowl of steamed rice.
Steamed Chicken with SHIITAKE Mushrooms
冬菇蒸雞
(dong gu zheng gái)
What You'll Need
Tools For The Tasks
Let's Get Cooking!
This recipe helps you make a tasty Steamed Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms and other goodies. Begin by rinsing and trimming dried lily flower buds and shiitake mushroom stems. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms, black fungus, and lily flower buds to soften them. While they soak, prepare the chicken, mince ginger, and chop scallions. Rehydrate the dried ingredients, slice the shiitake mushrooms, and halve large pieces of black fungus. Mix chicken, shiitake mushrooms, black fungus, lily flower buds, ginger, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, oil, cornstarch, water, and salt in a bowl. Steam the mixture for 25 minutes, then let it rest. Sprinkle scallions on top and enjoy with steamed rice!
Beyond The Recipe
On Chicken
You can also use a boneless chicken thigh or chicken wings for this recipe. Also, feel free to try using chicken on bone pieces with skin, as it adds even more flavor to the dish. Chinese prefer using them.
On Toppings
You can also consider adding Chinese Pork Sausage as an extra ingredient to enhance the flavors of this dish. Simply slice the sausage and arrange it on top of the chicken before steaming everything together.
On Resting
After mixing everything, you can cover and marinate it in the fridge for an hour before steaming. While it’s not necessary, this step enhances the flavors and seasonings, creating a tastier dish.
On Garnish
Cilantro is a great option to sprinkle on top of the dish for adding a bright, citrusy touch and floral notes to your dish, enhancing the earthy taste of mushrooms and deliciousness of savory chicken.
Steamed Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms (dong gu zheng gái)
Course: PoultryCuisine: CantoneseYield
4
servingsPrep Time
40
minutesCooking Time
25
minutesCalories
283
kcalThe simplicity and comfort of this classic Chinese meal are just perfect for simple suppers. It exemplifies a hallmark of Cantonese cuisine, favoring lighter and healthier cooking methods. These dishes are adored for their ability to highlight the quality of the ingredients and maintain their natural flavors and textures. When included in a Cantonese meal, this dish becomes a warm and nourishing centerpiece. It pairs wonderfully with other Cantonese favorites like steamed rice, stir-fried veggies, and soups, offering a complete and satisfying dining experience.
INGREDIENTS
- For the mains:
17.5 oz. Chicken Leg Quarters (approx. 500g) (bite-sized pieces)
10 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms (medium) (sliced)
0.35 oz. Dried Black Fungus (approx. 10g)
0.30 oz. Dried Lily Flowers (approx. 8g) (hard tips cut off)
- For the marinade:
1/2-inch Ginger (minced)
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 tsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1/8 cup Water (approx. 30ml)
1 tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
- For the garnish:
A sprinkle of (chopped) scallions
DIRECTIONS
- Preparation Steps:
- Let's start by taking the dried shiitake mushrooms, dried black fungus, and dried lily flowers. Give them a gentle rinse separately under running water to ensure all dirt or dust particles are washed away. Remember to cut off the hard tips of the dried lily flowers and the stem of the dried shiitake mushrooms (this speeds up the soaking process).
- Next, transfer the dried shiitake mushrooms, dried black fungus, and dried lily flower buds to three separate bowls filled with warm water. Let them soak for a minimum of 30 minutes to ensure they are completely rehydrated in the water.
- While that's soaking, if you prefer to cut the chicken at home, go ahead! Otherwise, you can use store-bought chicken thigh meat with bones. When cutting the chicken, aim for bite-sized pieces and try to keep them a similar size for even cooking.
- Don't forget to mince the fresh ginger and chop the whole scallions for added flavor!
- Once they are rehydrated, gently squeeze the water out. Slice the shiitake mushrooms and cut the black fungus in half if they are large.
- Marination steps:
- In a bowl with the chicken, add shiitake mushrooms, black fungus, lily flowers, ginger, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, vegetable oil, cornstarch, water, and salt. Mix everything well with chopsticks.
- Cooking steps:
- Transfer the mixture to a round, shallow, heat-proof plate with a rim to catch any juices that come out during cooking.
- Get the water boiling rapidly in your steamer or wok, then place the chicken inside. Cover and steam over medium-high heat for 20 minutes. After that, turn off the heat and leave the chicken in the steamer for another 2 minutes.
- Carefully remove the plate from the steamer or wok. Garnish with scallions, and serve immediately with some steamed rice.
If you're wondering
This recipe calls for dried shiitake mushrooms, but feel free to use fresh mushrooms as well. Dried mushrooms are well-known for their concentrated flavor, thanks to the dehydration process that enhances their natural umami. It adds a rich, savory depth to dishes. Once rehydrated, they plump up and release this intense flavor into the cooking liquid. On the other hand, fresh mushrooms offer a more delicate, subtle taste compared to their dried counterparts. If fresh mushrooms are your choice, remember to adjust the quantity and consider their higher water content, which might require a slight adjustment in the cooking time.
No, they do look quite similar, but they are actually different. The wood ear mushroom is a larger and thicker type of fungus that requires a longer cooking time compared to black fungus. Black fungus has a gentle, earthy taste and a slightly crispy texture, while wood ear mushrooms offer a more delicate and subtle flavor with a softer texture. Black fungus is packed with iron and dietary fiber, making it a great choice for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. On the other hand, wood ear mushrooms are rich in antioxidants that can help protect cells from damage and boost overall immune health. These distinctions make each of them ideal for various culinary uses, whether it’s to enhance texture and richness or to add a subtle umami touch to Chinese dishes.
If you can’t find them at the Asian grocery store, no worries! You can simply use only dried shiitake mushrooms and chicken. Alternatively, you have the option to include dried Chinese pork sausage in the dish. While it may not be an exact substitute, the pork sausage will definitely elevate the flavor of the dish.
While baking can cook the chicken through (preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and bake for 20–25 minutes or until cooked through), this recipe stays true to a traditional Cantonese method: steaming. Steaming gently cooks the chicken, retaining the subtle flavors of the dish. Baking can intensify flavors to the point of being overpowering and may dry out the chicken if not monitored carefully. Steaming keeps the chicken moist, cooking it in its own flavorful steam. It is a preferred method in Cantonese cooking, honoring the cultural significance of the recipe.
The steaming time can vary depending on the thickness of your chicken pieces. Aim for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork.
Steamed white rice is the classic accompaniment to this dish. You can also serve it with brown rice, quinoa, or noodles.