Wok-Fried Chicken with Asparagus and Shiitake

Asparagus is a recent, but welcome, addition to the Asian repertoire, the Thais call it nor mai farang or foreign bamboo shoot.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2 chicken breasts, skinless
• 300g asparagus
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 slice ginger, finely shredded
• 100g bean sprouts, rinsed
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
• 1 tsp corn flour
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped

MARINADE:

• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
• 1 tsp corn flour

METHOD:

Soak the mushrooms in 200mL boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. Finely slice the chicken against the grain, cut each slice in two and coat well in the soy, rice wine and cornflour marinade.

Wash the asparagus and snap off and discard the woody ends. Slice into 2cm sections on an extreme diagonal. Drain the mushrooms, strain the soaking water and set aside. Finely slice the
mushrooms.
Heat the oil in a wok, add the ginger and asparagus and stir-fry for 3 minutes.

Remove, add a little extra oil and stir-fry the chicken for 3 minutes.

Add the sliced mushrooms, bean sprouts, soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and sugar, and stir-fry over high heat for 3 minutes until hot, adding a couple of spoonfuls of the mushroom water if dry. Return the asparagus and ginger to the wok. Mix the rice wine and corn flour to a paste and add, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the spring onions, toss well and serve.

Serves 4

Chef: Jill Dupleix
Photo: Jennifer Soo
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald Recipe Cards