Chicken, Bacon and Mushroom Rice

by Mandy Yin, featured in Simply Malaysian

Published by Quadrille

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Introduction

One of my favourite dim sum dishes is lor mai gai (‘sticky rice chicken’) – glorious, steaming, lotus-leaf-wrapped parcels of glutinous rice with chicken, Chinese mushrooms and Chinese sausage. My interpretation uses good old jasmine rice and more easily available pancetta cubes or bacon. It’s achingly good comfort food and a one-pot wonder to boot!

For US measures and ingredient names, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

Simply Malaysian

Image of Mandy Yin's Chicken, Bacon and Mushroom Rice — Photo by Louise Hagger

Ingredients

Serves: 4-6

Metric U.S.

For the rice

8 dried shiitake mushrooms (around 24g/1oz)
5 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
75 grams cubed pancetta or unsmoked bacon lardons, or finely sliced rashers of unsmoked streaky bacon
1 medium onion (200g/7oz)
500 grams boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into 3 x 1cm (1½ x ½in) pieces)
400 grams jasmine rice (washed until the water runs clear, then thoroughly drained through a fine-mesh strainer)

For the seasoning

2 tablespoons premium oyster sauce
2 pinches of ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon white sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon pure sesame oil
¼ teaspoon chinese five spice
½ teaspoon table salt

To serve

4 spring onions (finely sliced)
tomato sambal, or other chilli sauce or chilli oil of your choice

For the rice

8 dried shiitake mushrooms (around 24g/1oz)
5 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2½ ounces cubed pancetta or unsmoked bacon lardons, or finely sliced rashers of unsmoked streaky bacon
1 medium onion (200g/7oz)
1 pound 2 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into 3 x 1cm (1½ x ½in) pieces)
2 cups jasmine rice (washed until the water runs clear, then thoroughly drained through a fine-mesh strainer)

For the seasoning

2 tablespoons premium oyster sauce
2 pinches of ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon pure asian sesame oil
¼ teaspoon chinese five spice
½ teaspoon table salt

To serve

4 scallions (finely sliced)
tomato sambal, or other chilli sauce or chilli oil of your choice

Method

Chicken, Bacon and Mushroom Rice is a guest recipe by Mandy Yin so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and rehydrate in 400ml (1¾ cups) just-boiled water for at least 30 minutes. Drain the mushrooms well, reserving the soaking liquid in a measuring jug (cup). Add more water to bring the total amount of liquid to 840ml (3⅓ cups).
Discard the mushroom stalks. Finely chop the garlic and the mushroom caps using a small food processor.
Mix the seasoning ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large casserole dish (Dutch oven) over a medium-high heat.
Stir-fry the pancetta or bacon for 3 minutes, then add the onion and stir-fry for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and mushroom mix and stir-fry for 3½ minutes. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes. If the chicken is sticking to the dish, you can add a small splash of the soaking liquid (no more than 2½ tablespoons) to deglaze. Add the seasoning and soaking liquid, being careful not to pour in the dregs of mushroom dirt, then add the rice and stir well to thoroughly combine. Cover with the lid and bring to the boil over a high heat. As soon as it comes to the boil, reduce the heat to the lowest possible level and leave to simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
After this time, turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the sliced spring onions on top and serve with a chilli condiment of your choice.

Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and rehydrate in 400ml (1¾ cups) just-boiled water for at least 30 minutes. Drain the mushrooms well, reserving the soaking liquid in a measuring jug (cup). Add more water to bring the total amount of liquid to 840ml (3⅓ cups).
Discard the mushroom stalks. Finely chop the garlic and the mushroom caps using a small food processor.
Mix the seasoning ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large casserole dish (Dutch oven) over a medium-high heat.
Stir-fry the pancetta or bacon for 3 minutes, then add the onion and stir-fry for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and mushroom mix and stir-fry for 3½ minutes. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes. If the chicken is sticking to the dish, you can add a small splash of the soaking liquid (no more than 2½ tablespoons) to deglaze. Add the seasoning and soaking liquid, being careful not to pour in the dregs of mushroom dirt, then add the rice and stir well to thoroughly combine. Cover with the lid and bring to the boil over a high heat. As soon as it comes to the boil, reduce the heat to the lowest possible level and leave to simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
After this time, turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the sliced scallions on top and serve with a chilli condiment of your choice.