My parents are both amazing cooks. Lucky for us, my mom and dad both spent a great deal of time in the kitchen, simultaneously on some days or nights, to whip up delicious meals for the family. They loved to experiment and often stepped out of their comfort zone, cooking not only Asian meals (which they were experts at), but also a medium rare steak paired with salad and pasta. Undoubtedly, they were better at the former, but I commend them for thinking outside the box. Sadly, my mom passed away right before I hit my teenage years and I never had the opportunity to cook alongside her or ask her for her recipes. A dish that I recall her making for us is Chinese Braised Chicken with Lily Buds, Wood Ear and Shiitake Mushrooms … and it makes me feel nostalgic each time I cook it for my own family. I likely don’t and never will make it as good as my mother, but the familiar taste combinations never fail to remind me of her.
DRY INGREDIENTS USED
This chicken dish is braised with a few dried ingredients, all commonly used in the Chinese cuisine. Prior to cooking, they must be rehydrated by soaking in warm water until pliable (about 20-30 minutes). My mother typically used the following for her braised chicken dish. The combination of these ingredients give off an earthy smell and aroma that almost resemble herbs to me and I LOVE IT!
These ingredients can be found at an Asian supermarket, but if you have trouble locating them or don’t have an Asian supermarket near you, I’ve provided links to where you can find them on Amazon.
DRIED LILY BUDS are a popular ingredient in Chinese cooking. Due to its vibrant orange color, lily buds are also referred to as “golden needles.” They’re derived from unopened buds of the Daylily plant and are harvested before blooming, then washed and sun-dried to make dried lily buds.
DRIED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS are commonly used in Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisines, either in stir fries or soups. Because they possess a unique umami and slightly smoky flavor, they’re often used in vegan or vegetarian dishes as well. Equally important, they offer a ton of health benefits!
DRIED WOOD EAR MUSHROOMS are also referred to as “black fungus” or “cloud ear fungus.” The rehydrated version of these mushrooms have a unique appearance and texture. They’re slightly gelatinous, thin, possess a black-brown hue and resemble an ear, hence its name!
Here is my take on this delicious and easy dish. If you tried out my recipe, make sure to tag me @rackoflam and use #rackoflam on social media and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more content!
Chinese Braised Chicken w/ Lily Buds, Wood Ear & Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe (金針雲耳雞)
Ingredients
- 25 g dried lily buds
- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 10 g dried wood ear mushrooms
- 1 lb chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small thumb ginger, julienned
- 1 stalk scallion, chopped
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce or to taste
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce or to taste
- 3/4 cup mushroom soaking liquid (or water)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp sesame oil
- 3 dashes white pepper powder
Instructions
- Soak dried lily buds, shiitake mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms, separately, in warm water until softened. Reserve the mushroom soaking liquid. When they've been rehydrated, remove tough ends from the lily buds, cut each shiitake mushroom into 3-4 pieces and roughly chop the wood ear mushrooms.
- Marinate chicken thighs in 2 tbsp oyster sauce for at least 15 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mix together 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 3/4 cup mushroom soaking liquid (or water), 1 tbsp sugar, 1/4 tsp sesame oil and 3 dashes of white pepper powder.
- Heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil on a large pan.
- Add the ginger and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Transfer the chicken thigh pieces into the pan and sear both sides until no longer pink.
- Add 1 tbsp of Shao Xing wine and the sauce mixture into the pan.
- Add the lily buds, shiitake and wood ear mushrooms and stir until all ingredients are well combined. Press the ingredients down onto the pan, then cover w/ a lid and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring halfway.
- After 20 minutes of braising, turn off the fire and give the ingredients a final mix. Taste and add more oyster sauce or dark soy sauce if necessary, then garnish with chopped scallions.
- Enjoy!
