Chicken & Hazel Mushroom Stew
小鸡炖蘑菇
English: Chicken & Hazel Mushroom Stew
Chinese: 小鸡炖蘑菇
Pinyin： xiao ji dun mogu
Literal: Chicken stew with mushrooms
Often when I read cheffy descriptions of mushrooms it sounds like exaggerated nonsense. However, Braised Chicken with Hazel Mushrooms (小鸡炖蘑菇) might be the first dish that has me talking the same language.
Hazel mushrooms (榛蘑, zhēn mó) might rank among the best wild mushrooms in the world that few people have heard of. They have a moreish chewy earthiness, a deep meaty flavour, and a bold savoury essence that permeates the broth of this stew. Hazel mushrooms with slow-cooked chicken create a perfect pairing.
Hazel mushrooms are native to the forests of Northeast China (Dongbei) but similar to armillaria, sometimes known as honey mushrooms. Hazels are no taller than a finger with spindly stalks and a honey-coloured cap. They’re nothing special to look at; that simple exterior tells nothing of their secret. In Northern China, it's possible to get them fresh, but I recommend dried for this dish (which is easier to find anyway), as their flavour is far more intense and imparts a richness to the broth. If you can't find hazel mushrooms, dried morels or chanterelles will provide the closest flavour.
This is one of the classic four stews of Dongbei (one other is: Stewed Beans and Pork Ribs) and is unique to this region. It’s rare for other provinces of China to slow-cook dishes into stews. Most Chinese cooking prefers quick, clean broths, but in Dongbei, food as comforting as a warm blanket is needed to see the locals through the long, icy winters.
Braised Chicken and Hazel Mushroom can be a showy dinner, often enjoyed during festive gatherings, served in a big pot on the table. Sometimes thick glass noodles (fensi | 粉丝) are served with this dish but I find they steal all the delicious broth, sucking it up until the stew is drier, so I prefer to serve some steamed buns on the side.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (about 1kg), chopped into bite-sized pieces (or use 1kg of bone-in chicken thighs, drumsticks etc.)
50g dried hazel mushrooms (or morel, porcini, chanterelle)
20g dried shiitake mushrooms
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 dried red chilies
2-3 star anise
2 bay leaves
1 small piece of cinnamon stick
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tsp sugar
Salt, to taste
1 litre chicken stock or mushroom stock
4 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
Method
Soak the shiitake mushrooms in 400ml of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes.
Chop your chicken pieces or whole chicken into bite-sized pieces (about 8cm long, 2cm wide), leaving the bone in and skin on.
Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the chicken pieces and boil for 2-3 minutes to remove the impurities. Drain and rinse off any scum under cold water. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ginger slices, garlic cloves, dried chilies, star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick and stir-fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Add the blanched chicken pieces to the pot. Stir-fry for 5 minutes until the chicken is lightly browned.
While the chicken is cooking, remove the shiitake mushrooms from the water. The water should be a lovely amber brown. This broth will be added to the stew shortly.
Pour in the Shaoxing wine and let it sizzle for 30 seconds to cook off the alcohol.
Add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Stir well to coat the chicken.
Add the shiitake broth to the pot. If it doesn't cover the chicken, add more liquid - either chicken stock or mushroom stock (usually about another 500ml of either). Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Slice the shiitake mushrooms. Add them to the pot along with the dried hazel mushrooms. Stir gently to submerge. Continue to simmer uncovered for another 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced slightly. Stir occasionally.
Taste the sauce and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. I find the stew needs no more than a pinch of salt for my taste as I think it's rich enough.
Add the scallions for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Serve with steamed buns, perfect for soaking up the rich sauce.
