Aspiring Bakers #28: Chicken Feast : Braised Chicken with Ocean Bamboo & Anka

Oh thanks to my mother-in-law for introduced this weird looking ingredient to me :) I was still thinking how should I cook with it until I saw a couple of recipes in the Famous Cuisine Magazine I've bought recently :) It is stiff in texture when dry, the same as dried shitake mushroom which needs to reconstiute with water before cooking.  It is rather expensive for a small quantity and only available at certain organic shops. Taste wise? It is best in braising as it will absorb any flavourful gravy and still maintain its crunchiness.

海洋竹笙闷红曲鸡

竹笙 , Dried Ocean Bamboo

Chicken pieces in marinate

Recipe adapted from Famous Cuisine
Ingredient

• 1 free range chicken, chopped
• 10gm dried ocean bamboo
• 1.5 tbsp red grains 红曲, grind finely
• 6 dried shitake mushroom, soaked and halved
• 100gm carrots, sliced
• 30gm ginger, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 stalk spring onion, sectioned
• 1 tbsp chinese wine
• 750ml water
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Method

1. Soak ocean bamboo in water for 20mins. Blanch them in boiling water for 1 min. Drain well and cut into sections.
2. Marinate chicken with red grains powder and 1 tbsp chinese wine for at least 30mins.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok, saute ginger, garlic and spring onion over low heat until fragrant.
4. Add mushroom and saute briefly.
5. Add in chicken pieces and stir fry over high heat until well combined. Add in water and carrots and bring to boil. Cover and simmer on medium low heat for 30mins until chicken are cooked through.
6. Add in ocean bamboo and seasoning. Thicken the gravy with some cornstarch water. Dish up and serve.

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #28: Chicken Feast (Feb 2013) hosted by SSB of Small Small World.