Stewed Chicken with Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 4 ounces dried mushrooms (口蘑菇)
• 2 ounces vegetable oil
• 1 whole chicken
• to taste Shaoxing wine (酒)
• to taste sweet wine (甜酒)
• to taste light soy sauce (清醬)
• 1 small handful bamboo shoots (筍)
• 1 stalk scallion (蔥)
• to taste white pepper (椒)
• 3 mace rock sugar (冰糖)

Instructions

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water to remove sand, then rinse thoroughly in cold water. Using a soft brush (牙刷), gently scrub the mushroom surfaces and rinse again in cold water, repeating this rinsing four times total until completely clean.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or braising pot and cook the mushrooms until they turn translucent and fully absorb the oil. Splash in Shaoxing wine to perfume them.
3. Add the chicken pieces to the pot and bring to a rolling boil, skimming away impurities (沫) that rise to the surface. Pour in sweet wine and light soy sauce, and begin braising. Cook until the chicken reaches approximately 80% doneness (八分功程 — this classical Chinese measure of fire control indicates a specific degree of tenderness, not quite fully cooked).
4. Add the cleaned mushrooms to the pot and continue braising for approximately 20% more of the fire duration (二分功程) — about one quarter the initial braising time.
5. Add the bamboo shoots, scallion, and white pepper. Transfer to a serving vessel without adding water (the mushrooms and chicken will have released sufficient liquid). Finish by adding the rock sugar to balance the flavors.