Stewed Mushroom Chicken

My mother makes the tastiest stewed mushroom chicken which is the whole family's favorite platter during every festive occasion. It is always a mei yan jiu geng (美人照镜, i.e. no leftovers) fare on the menu.

Father usually gets the honorable task of cutting off all the mushroom stumps before soaking. It's no joke considering the entree calls for 1 kilogram of mushrooms to satisfy the whole brood's appetite.

Here, I shall reproduce this dish using my pressure cooker to cut down on the cooking time which is usually 3 to 4 hours. My recipe serves 5 persons.

Stewed Mushroom Chicken


20 pieces shitake mushrooms, remove the stumps
3 pc chicken thigh or
300 gm chicken meat, washed and cut to bite-size
2 inch ginger, sliced thinly
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp oil
1 1/2 cup water

1. Rinse and soak mushrooms in water for 4 hours.


2. Heat oil in pressure cooker, fry ginger for a minute.


3. Squeeze the mushrooms dry and fry till coated with the oil.


4. Sprinkle in the salt, then sugar and continue frying for a minute.


5. Add the chicken, salt, oyster sauce and stir fry for 2 minutes.


6. Cover the surface with sufficient water. (can strain and use the mushroom soaking water)


7. Close the lid and cook on high heat till second ring emerge.


8. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.


9. Remove from fire.


10. Serve warm with rice.

ps. Simmer for 3 hours if using a conventional pot