Chicken, Shiitake and noodle stir fry

I apologise for the lack of posts since my last – I’ve been taking make-up classes for school over the past couple of weeks. I missed out on my classes for stocks, sauces & soups last year when I was taken to see Rick Stein and they had to be completed for me to get my Commercial Cookery certificate. I’m all done now & hope to be back in full swing sharing with you some dishes I’ve been trying.

Who’s tried fresh Shiitake mushrooms? A couple of years ago you were only able to buy dehydrated Shiitake, unless you wanted to pay through the nose for fresh! Last week was the first time I’ve tried fresh Shiitake mushrooms, as they’re so readily available at the markets and grocery stores. I must say they were really tasty but I much prefer the intense taste of the dehydrated Shiitake.

If you love Asian cuisine as much as I do, you’ll know that dried Shiitake mushrooms are a staple in any pantry. They’re an essential ingredient in many Asian dishes and can be easily rehydrated in boiling water for 5-10 minutes.

A few things you may not have known about Shiitake mushrooms:

♥ They’re well renowned throughout the world – they are the second most consumed mushroom

♥ They’re considered to have many medicinal properties

♥ Shiitakes are popular for their meaty texture and their amazing flavour.

♥ Shiitakes are high in potassium and help build the immune system

♥ Shiitake mushrooms take 9-12 months to grow.

♥ The stems of the Shiitake are hardly ever used as they’re hard and take longer to cook.

This recipe is ready in under 20 minutes and came about by throwing bits and pieces together. And you know what, sometimes they’re the best, most flavoursome dishes created. When there are small amounts of ingredients taking up space in the pantry, fridge or freezer, I can’t help but throw them all together. This is my now go to dish when I want something tasty with as little effort as possible.

TIPS

For a completely vegetarian dish, replace the chicken mince with tofu, more mushrooms or any other vegetable of your choice

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The noodles are ready to drain at the same time the mince & mushrooms mixture is cooked

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If you’re not too sure about the flavour of Shiitake mushrooms, try fresh first as they’re less intense in flavour

PREP: 10 minutes   COOK: 6-7 minutes   SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:
100-120 grams Pad Thai noodles
Boiling water, enough to cover noodles
1 tablespoon peanut oil
500 grams chicken mince
1 garlic clove, grated
2.5cm piece fresh ginger, grated
100 grams Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and finely sliced
¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
5 Cos (Romaine) lettuce leaves, shredded
3 spring (green) onions, finely sliced

METHOD:
In a microwave safe, glass or ceramic bowl, place the noodles and cover with boiling water. Allow to soften for 5-6 minutes. Drain immediately and keep aside until needed.

In a wok or large saucepan, heat the oil on medium/high heat. Add the mince and cook until no longer pink, about 2 minutes.

Once the mince is cooked, add the garlic, ginger and Shiitake mushrooms. Stir to combine, cooking for 2 minutes.

Stir through the five spice, soy and oyster sauces. Once combined add in the drained noodles and stir quickly. Remove from the heat.

When ready to serve, mix the lettuce, spring onions and sesame oil with the chicken and Shiitakes.

Eat immediately! Enjoy