Ok, this has been a long time coming. I think my last post was a month ago!

This chicken dish is probably one of my favorites. Every time I think about it, I can picture it being made in our home in Ottawa. Hot off the stove, my mum would place it on the cutting board, take this old school Chinese cleaver in her tiny hands, and with newspapers laid out, start chopping away.

And every time, she would be able to put the chicken back together perfectly before surrounding it with the fungus, mushrooms, and sauce. As I got older, I was the designated “chopper”. I’d be careful to move the cooked chicken to the cutting board (usually sticking chopsticks in the top and bottom so as to not rip the skin and carrying over). And every time, I’d cut it as carefully as possible which trying to not think about how hot it was handling the chicken. Pop the the thigh/leg off first. Chop that into bite sized pieces. Slip my cleaver underneath the pieces and carefully place on plate. Repeat for other thigh/leg.

I’d cut both chicken wing/drumstick/tip and place on the plate. Finally, I’d carve out one breast (including bone). Chop that into bite sized pieces and place on the plate. And repeat for the other breast. All that I would be left with would be the back bone. At this point, I’d do as mum would do which would be to use my hands to find small pieces of meat to sample from the back bone. Is there a sanitary issue here?

From reading my aunt#3’s cookbook, it looks like this recipe originated from my grandma which I may or may not have known. My mum may have mentioned to me way back. Forgetful these days.

We went to the Glen Park farmers market one Sunday and I saw this company selling pastured raised chickens. I really like the taste of these chickens. I’ve bought them before but not from this particular farm.

Emma also wanted flowers.

The chicken looked pretty good. Fresh too. I was told it was prepared on the Thursday July 28th and I bought it on Sunday July 31st.

Adapted from So Yan Kit’s The Wok Cookbook.

1 chicken

1 3/4 tsp salt

5 green onions, cut in 2″ pieces

canola oil

2 tbsp cloud ears, reconstituted and cut into pieces

6 medium-sized dried mushrooms, reconstitued and cut into thin slices

1/3 oz golden needles, reconstituted

2 tbsp water

3 large garlic gloves, crushed but left whole

3 thick slices fresh ginger, peeled

1 whole star anise

1/2 tsp sichuan peppercorns

8 tbsp water

Sauce:

4 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp brown sugar

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

Rub 1 1/2 tsp salt all over skin and in the cavity of the chicken and leave stand for 30-40 minutes. I must admit I forgot this step. DOH. But the chicken still tasted pretty good. Honest.

Take 5 green onions and cut them.

Boil hot water and reconstitute the dried cloud ears, mushrooms, and golden needles.

From left to right, clockwise, we have cloud ears, golden needles, and mushrooms. Remember you don’t need a lot. They will expand.

Add hot water.

Cover. I use plates or bowls. I found I had to really submerge the mushrooms since they kept floating to the top!

Let soak for 30 minutes. Then slice thinly and set aside.

Take the garlic and with the side of a knife, smash them! Set aside.

Slice the ginger and set aside. I wouldn’t say this was the freshest ginger but it was all I had.

Mix sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat wok over high heat. Add 2 tbsp of oil and swirl it around. Add the green onions and stir.

Add cloud ears.

Add mushrooms and stir.

Add golden needles and continue to stir for about 30 seconds.

Sprinkle with 2 tbsp of water, season with remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and cook, covered, for about 2 minutes or until water is absorbed. Set aside on plate.

Reheat oven over high heat. Add the remaining 3 tbsp oil and swirl around. Add the garlic, ginger, star anise, and sichuan peppercorns, and stir.

Take the chicken and lower into the oil.

Lower the heat to medium and brown all over for 5-10 minutes, turning from breast to back and side to side. Looking at this image, I probably could have done a better job browning.

 

Keep browning all sides. Try not to break skin.

Once you have it nice and brown, pour the well-stirred sauce over the chicken and bring to a simmer.

Remove the wok from the heat.

Place the stuffing inside the cavity.

 

 

Place wok back on stove over medium heat. Stand chicken on its side in the wok. Add 4 tbsp water and simmer fast, covered (not shown) tightly for 20-25 minutes.

 

Remove the lid, ladle the sauce over the chicken several times, turn it to stand on its other side. Add another 4 tbsp water and continue to cook, covered (not shown), for another 20-25 minutes.

 

Chicken after initial 20-25 minutes covered cooking. Looking good!

 

Remove chicken to cutting board, remove stuffing, and start carving! Shoot. Ripped skin!

I love the wings.

Place stuffing on a plate.

Place cut chicken on top of stuffing. Not too bad a job of carving?

Pour sauce over chicken.

Enjoy!