Chicken Casserole Recipe

Chicken Casserole Recipe

(Chinese-Style Recipe)

1 chicken weighing 1 to 1½ kg

100g sliced picnic ham or 70g Yunnan ham

(Ham can be substituted with beef)

100g tinned bamboo shoots

100g or 1 medium-sized carrot

10 dried Shitake mushrooms

½ Chinese cabbage (about 500g)

3 thin slices peeled ginger

1½ tablespoons Chinese yellow wine or hua teow jiu or dry sherry

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon sugar

5 cups water and some boiling water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or chicken fat

Method:

Wash chicken, drain and rub with 1 teaspoon salt.  Leave it for ½ hour before rinsing with tap water.  Drain and place chicken in a large bowl of boiling water, turning it around so that all the skin comes into contact with the water.  (This tautens the skin and ensures that the chicken stays whole even when it is cooked until very tender).  Meanwhile, soak mushrooms in hot water for about 1 hour until soft.  Drain, squeeze-dry and cut off the stalks.  Peel and slice the carrot and bamboo shoots.  Slice the ham.  Cut Chinese cabbage into 2 lengthwise, then cut into finger lengths.  Wash in a colander and drain.  Heat an earthen pot or a heatproof casserole dish over fire for a few seconds.  Heat the oil in it and pour in the yellow wine until it sizzles before pouring in the water.  Add sliced ginger and the chicken.  When the water comes to the boil, turn the heat down to very low and let it simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.  Add ham, mushrooms, carrot, bamboo shoot and Chinese cabbage and let the mixture continue to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how tender you want the chicken and vegetables to be.  Add remaining salt and sugar to taste before serving.  If you are storing the dish, allow it to cool completely before putting it in the fridge, covered.