Thursday, 23 June 2022 / Topics:
Ingredients: (Serves 6)
1.3kg whole chicken
thumb-sized piece of ginger, thickly sliced
4 garlic cloves, bruised
4 star anise
1 cinnamon quill
1 cup Chinese cooking wine
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup reduced-salt soy sauce
40g dried shitake mushrooms
2 spring onion, white and green parts separated
½ bunch of coriander, stems and leaves separated
200g oyster mushrooms, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch of Chinese broccoli, cut into 5cm lengths
125g thin egg noodles
For the chilli sauce:
6 long red chillies, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon caster sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons extra
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon reduced-salt soy sauce
Method:
1. Place chicken in a large stock pot. Add ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon quill, Chinese cooking wine, brown sugar, soy sauce and shitake mushrooms. Tie white part of the spring onions and coriander stems together with cooking twine before adding to the pot. Pour in enough water to cover the contents of the pot. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, skimming the surface of the broth occasionally, for 2 hours or until chicken is very tender.
2. Meanwhile, make the chilli sauce. Place chilli, garlic, sugar and salt in a mortar and pestle. Grind until a smooth paste forms. Heat two tablespoons oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook chilli mixture for 4-5 minutes. Stir through vinegar and soy sauce. Set aside and cover with remaining two tablespoons oil.
3. Carefully transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside until cool enough to handle. Shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Strain the broth, discarding the solids. Return broth to the pot and bring back to a gentle simmer. Add mushrooms and broccoli stems and cook for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Stir through Chinese broccoli leaves and chicken until warmed.
4. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Cook egg noodles for 1-2 minutes or until just tender.
5. Divide noodles, chicken and vegetables between serving bowls. Ladle over broth. Thinly slice green part of the spring onions. Garnish with spring onion, coriander leaves and a dollop of chilli sauce.
