Recipe - Black Mushroom Chicken Deep-Frybraised

10 (up to)
15 Dried black mushrooms
1 (3lb) chicken
Soy sauce
4 Or
5 sl Fresh ginger root
1 Bamboo shoot
4 Water chestnuts
2 Scallion stalks
Oil for deepfrying
2 tablespoon Oil
One half teaspoon Salt
2 One half cup Water
One half teaspoon Sugar
1 ds Pepper
2 teaspoon Cornstarch
3 tablespoon Water

1. Soak dried mushrooms.

2. Cut chicken in half and wipe with a damp cloth. Rub, inside and out,
with soy sauce. Let stand 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile slice ginger root. Shred bamboo shoot, water chestnuts and
soaked mushrooms. Cut scallion stalks in 1inch sections.

4. Heat oil to bubbling. Gently lower in chicken, one half at a time, and
brown lightly. Drain on paper toweling.

5. Heat remaining oil. Add salt and ginger root; stirfry a few times. Add
shredded vegetables and scallions; stirfry 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Stir in and heat water; add sugar and pepper. Return chicken halves and
bring to a boil; then simmer, covered, until tender (about 20 minutes).

7. Remove chicken, leaving liquids in pan. Let bird cool slightly; then
chop, bones and all, in bitesize pieces. Arrange on a serving platter.

8. Gently reheat liquids in pan. Meanwhile blend cornstarch and remaining
cold water to a paste; then stir in to thicken. Pour sauce over chicken and
serve. VARIATION: In step 7, instead of chopping the chicken, disjoint and
bone the legs and wiugs. Cut the breast meat in slices and arrange
decoratively on a platter with legs and wings.

From The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook, ISBN 0517658704. Downloaded
from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey.