Steamed Chicken with Black Mushrooms and Bok Choy
A traditional Chinese dish combining tender steamed chicken thighs with fragrant shiitake mushrooms and fresh bok choy. The chicken is marinated in a savory mixture of soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil, then steamed until perfectly cooked.
Ingredients
- •12 whole dried shiitake mushrooms
- •2 cups boiling-hot water
- •2½ lb skinless chicken thighs
- •¼ cup soy sauce
- •2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
- •2 tablespoons cornstarch
- •1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
- •½ teaspoon salt
- •3 whole scallions
- •1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- •1½ lb baby bok choy
- •steamed rice
- •scallion
- •equipment
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Soak shiitakes in boiling-hot water in a bowl until softened, about 30 minutes. Cut out and discard stems, then squeeze excess liquid from caps and discard soaking liquid.
30 min
- 2.
Hack each chicken thigh crosswise through bone into thirds with cleaver.
5 min
- 3.
Stir together soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch, sesame oil, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then add chicken, mushroom caps, scallions, and ginger and toss well to coat. Marinate at room temperature, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
30 min
- 4.
Put rack into wok and add enough water to reach just below it. (If using a steamer insert, use approximately 4 inches of water.) Cover wok (or skillet) and bring water to a boil. Transfer chicken mixture to pie plate and put in wok (or skillet), then steam, covered, stirring once, until chicken is just cooked through, about 25 minutes.
25 min
- 5.
While chicken is steaming, cook bok choy, uncovered, in a 4- to 6-quart pot of (unsalted) boiling water until just tender, 7 to 9 minutes, then drain in a colander.
9 min
- 6.
Carefully remove pie plate from wok. Arrange bok choy around edge of a large deep platter and spoon chicken and sauce in center.
5 min
- 7.
*Available at Asian markets, many supermarkets, and Uwajimaya (800-889-1928).
