Shiitake Steamed Chicken (Dong Gu Zheng Hua Ji)

The story

Zheng hua ji is what Cantonese families steam when someone needs real food but nobody wants to watch a stove. The chicken poaches gently in mushroom steam — tender in a way frying never gets, and the juices become the rice topping.

Ingredients (6 + pantry staples)

• Boneless chicken thighs — 1.5 lb / 700 g, bite-size pieces
• Dried shiitake mushrooms — 6, soaked 15 min in hot water, sliced (save the water!)
• Ginger — 1 tbsp, julienned
• Soy sauce — 2 tbsp
• Toasted sesame oil — 1 tsp
• Cornstarch — 1 tbsp

Pantry staples used (don't count toward the 6): sugar (1 tsp), white pepper. Not stocked yet? See the pantry page.

Steps

1. Toss chicken with mushrooms, ginger, soy, cornstarch, sugar, sesame oil, pepper and 1/4 cup of the mushroom soaking water; rest 10 minutes.
2. Spread on a plate and steam over high heat 20 minutes until cooked through.
3. Pour everything over rice — juices included. That is the meal.

Swaps

Fresh shiitake works (skip soaking, use water). Sliced pork or a firm fish fillet steams with the same marinade math.