My version of chicken stew uses lesser meat and I am glad that my family is consuming more vegetables than meat.
This chicken stew basically needs only carrots, potatoes and chicken meat. Other ingredients that would be great with this recipe includes celery, firm tofu and zucchini. I usually see what’s left in the fridge, to vary the dish slightly.
On this particular day, I happen to see a few remaining stalks for fresh shitake mushrooms, and mushrooms are perfect for stew!
BASIC CHICKEN STEW
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1 chicken breast, chopped into bite size
4 medium potatoes, peel and cut into cubes
1/2 small carrot, peel and cut into cubes
4 shitake mushrooms, wash and chop into quarters
3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 cup hot water
1.5 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
dash of pepper and sesame oil, to taste
spring onion, only the green portion, cut into 1 cm length, for garnish
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01. Heat up a french oven over medium fire, pour in the oil and fry chopped garlic until fragrant.
02. Add in the chicken breast meat, and cook until they turn white and opaque.
03. Add in chopped potatoes and carrots, stir fry for about 1 minute.
04. Pour the soy sauce and oyster sauce in, and mix the sauce with the ingredients well with a large spoon.
05. Add in the hot water, and bring to a rolling boil.
06. Reduce heat to low, cover the french oven and let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the water is reduced to a thick gravy.
07. 5 minutes before turning off the fire, sprinkle the shitake mushrooms on top and let the steam cook the mushroom.*
08. Turn off heat, add a dash of pepper and sesame oil, garnish with chopped spring onions, serve immediately.
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+++/* I did not simmer the fresh shitake mushrooms with the stew as it would shrink to an impossible size by the time the cooking is done. So I only added it in a few minutes before the stew is done.
MAKING IT BLISSFUL 