Ma La Xiang Guo 麻辣香锅

This Ma La Xiang Guo 麻辣香锅 dish has been sprouting in our local food scene for quite some time. But I've yet to patronise any of those popular stalls and moreover the usual foodcourt stalls which selling this spicy one pot dish charge according to weight of each items! So a bowl for two servings most likely to cost between S$15-S$20? So I think it is more economical to prepare this dish at the comfort of my own home!

One of my favourite ingredients....sweet potato vermicelli!! Loving the soft and chewy texture of this noodle which has soaked up the spicy savoury gravy!

No fix rule on what you like to add into this one pot spicy dish! Besides using premix Ma La chilli paste, I've added extra herbs and spices to further enhance the taste. 1st row pic : herbs & spices, marinated chicken mid-wings, Chinese cabbage 2nd row pic : dried mushroom, dried fungus, dried beanstick 3rd row pic : potato, lotus roots, sweet potato vermicelli 

It took some time to prepare each of the ingredients like soaking, slicing, par-boiled and deep frying. But the actual stir-frying of all the ingredients into one pot is really fast! So I do not mind prepare it  again if I'm craving for this one pot spicy dish. :)

Ingredient

• 8 chicken mid-wings, chopped into 1/2* (marinate with 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp wine)
• 100gm sweet potato vermicelli, soaked
• 300gm Chinese cabbage, sliced
• 50gm dried beanstick, break into 10cm length
• 200gm potatoes, peeled and sliced thickly* (soaked in water to prevent oxidisation)
• 250gm fresh lotus roots, peeled and sliced* (soaked in water to prevent oxidisation)
• 20gm black fungus, softened and shredded
• 25gm dried shiitake mushroom, softened
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into chunks

Herbs & Spices

• 6 garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
• 3 stalk spring onion, sliced into sections
• 3 slices ginger
• 10 dried chilli, softened and deseeded
• 1/2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 110gm Ma La Xiang Guo chilli paste

Seasoning

• 1 tbsp sugar
• salt to taste 
• 120ml water
• 2 tbsp chinese wine

Garnishing

• coriander
• roasted peanuts
• toasted white sesame seeds

Method

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add in cabbage and blanched till lightly softened. Remove cabbage from pot.
2. Follow by add in vermicelli and cook until softened. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat some oil in wok, deep fry beanstick till crispy. Remove and soak in cold water to soften the pieces. Drain away water.
4. With remaining oil in wok, pan fry potatoes till crisp at the edge. Remove and set aside.
5. Add in chicken mid-wings fry till lightly brown. Remove and set aside.
6. Remove excess oil leaving about 2 tbsp oil in wok. Add in garlic, ginger, spring onion, peppercorns and dried chilli and fry over medium heat, about 2 mins till fragrant.
7. Add in Ma La Xiang Guo chilli paste and fry over medium low heat for 1 min.
8. Add in mushroom, lotus roots, fried beanstick, black fungus and onion and mix evenly.
9. Return mid-wings and potatoes to the wok. Mix evenly.
10. Add in Chinese cabbage and vermicelli. 
11. Add in sugar and salt to taste. Pour in 120ml water. Cover wok and simmer over medium heat for 2 mins. 
12. Drizzle in wine and mix evenly. Dish up and garnish before serving.