Dish of Chicken with Choy and Mushrooms
(click to enlarge)

Chicken with Choy & Mushrooms


Thai - California
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 4 w/rice
**
40 min
Prep		 A very fine, flavorful Chicken stir fry, and not hard to make. The marinade keeps the chicken moist and tender. I call this "Thai - California" because I composed it from several Thai recipes.




12
-----
2
1/4
1/8
1
1/2
-----
4
12
3
2
1/3
2
3
oz
---
cl
c
t
T
T
---
oz
oz

T
c
T
T
Chicken meat (1)
-- Marinade
Garlic
Cilantro Stems (2)
Black Pepper
Fish Sauce (3)
Soy Sauce
---------
Mushrooms
Choy - any (2)
Red Chili fresh (3)
Oil
Stock
Yellow Bean Sauce (4)  
Lime Juice fresh
Prep   -   (55 minutes)
  1. Cut CHICKEN into bite size pieces about 1/4 inch thick.
  2. Crush GARLIC and chop small. Chop CILANTRO STEMS small (Note 2). Pound together in a mortar with Black Pepper.
  3. Mix all Marinade Items and massage into Chicken. Set aside for at least 20 minutes.
  4. Slice MUSHROOMS about 1/8 inch thick. If using fresh Shiitakes soak the slices in hot water about 20 minutes, then squeeze them dry.
  5. Separate CHOY leaves and tender tips from the stems (if needed - see Note-4). Slice stems diagonally, size depending on thickness. Cut or tear leaves into convenient strips. Keep separate.
  6. Crush GARLIC and chop fine.
  7. Core CHILIS and slice very thin.
  8. squeeze LIME JUICE.
Run   -   (15 min)
  1. In a wok or spacious sauté pan heat Oil and fry Garlic gently until it is just starts to color. Stir in Pork and fry stirring until the raw color is completely gone and any exuded liquid has evaporated.
  2. Stir in Mushrooms and Choy Stems (if held separate) and fry stirring for 2 to 4 minutes depending on toughness and thickness of the stems.
  3. Stir in Leaves until coated with oil, then stir in Stock and Yellow Bean Sauce until well mixed.
  4. Simmer covered for as long as your particular choy stems need to be just crisp tender, then stir in Chilis.
  5. Turn off heat and stir in Lime Juice. Serve with plenty of steamed Jasmine rice.
NOTES:

  1. Chicken:

      Weight is for skinless boneless. I use thigh and leg meat, which is closer to ethnic chickens than the cardboard breasts of our factory chickens. Skinless boneless leg meat is now available economically and also works well.

  2. Cilantro Stems:

      Actually, this should be about 2 T of Cilantro Roots, but you're unlikely to have those on hand, so we use stems (no leaves).

  3. Mushrooms:

      I usually use the small King Trumpet Oyster mushrooms now common in Southern California. I have also used fresh Shiitakes, but soak them in hot water for 20 minutes for a smooth creamy texture. Even regular white mushrooms will work, though the flavor and texture will be different. For details see our Fungus page.

  4. Choy:

      Most varieties of choy can be used, though some will need the stems cooked longer than others. For a tender choy like Taiwan Bok Choy or Sher Li Hon you need not separate the leaves from the stems. This can also be done for Shanghai Bok Choy and Yu Choy, but for those I usually do separate stems from leaves. The Choy used in the photo example is a small Shanghai (green) bok choy (here in Los Angeles we have a dozen types, sizes and shapes to chose from). For details see our Asian Mustard, Cabbage & Turnip Greens page.

  5. Chili:

      Around here we all use Red Fresnos, but Holland Red will do fine, or half of a red Anaheim. For details see our Thai Chilis page.

  6. Yellow Bean Sauce:

      What you want is the ugly brown stuff. For details see our Yellow Bean Sauce page. If you don't have that, Fish Sauce will also work fine.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
smc_chkchoy3 200201 var   -   www.clovegarden.com
©Andrew Grygus - agryg@aaxnet.com - Linking to and non-commercial use of this page is permitted.