Shredded Chicken Mushroom Stew on Rice Noodles

Rice is not only white fluffy grains but it can be made into a variety of yummy noodles. They are mainly made from glutinous rice flour and water. Sometimes tapioca flour and cornstarch are added to change the texture. They can be rolled into sheets and cut into different widths, spaghetti-like or even into thin vermicelli. Sold freshly made or dried in bundles ready to cook anytime they are all very easy to cook.

Just like rice, rice noodles are also a stable part of Asian cuisine but are more versatile because you can eat it cold or hot. The rice noodles can be used in a soup, stewed, fried and even in salads. The best thing about rice noodles is that they absorb a lot of the flavour of the dish because just like normal rice grains they are plain flavoured and can take on any sauce or gravy.

  As a kid I use to watch my grandmother make Lo Si Fun, which is also a type of rice noodle but hand rolled and short in length, about 2 inches. This is a picture I found on the net and the Lo Si Fun has a smooth surface. My grandmother's noodles had little ridges and looked more like little worms because she use to roll the dough on the back of a colander! We would always have noodles for lunch at grandmother's house on the weekends and this was one of my favourites growing up............ Lo Si Fun is hard to find nowadays because they have to be hand rolled and take longer to make.

Shredded Chicken Mushroom Stew on Rice Noodles

5 bundles of dried wide rice noodles

1 chicken leg quarter

8 - 10 fresh shitake mushrooms, thickly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, chopped finely

2 tbsp sweet yellow bean paste

1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce

1/2 cup water plus extra 1/4 cup for sauce

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tsp sesame seed oil

1/2 tsp cracked ground black pepper

1 tbsp of carrot, finely shredded

cornflour water

1. Soak the rice noodles in hot water for about 10 mins or until tender. Remove from the hot water and immediately soak in cold water. Drain and set aside.

2. Pour water in a wok and using a steaming tray, cover and bring the water to a boil.

3. In a steaming dish, place the chicken leg quarter down with the skin side facing upwards. 

4.In a small bowl, gently mash the sweet yellow bean paste. Add the light soy sauce , shaoxing wine, sesame seed oil, water and stir the mixture.

5. Arrange the sliced mushrooms and carrot over the chicken. Pour the bean paste mixture over the chicken and sprinkle with pepper.

6. Steam the chicken for about 15-20 mins or until the chicken is cooked and can gently come off the bone. Remove the chicken from the heat and take out the chicken and gently shred the meat off the bone using two forks, discarding the bones. The meat should be easily removed from the bone.

7. Pour the sauce, mushrooms and carrot into a saucepan and add the shredded chicken. Add some cornflour water and extra water if needed and simmer until the sauce has thicken. The sauce should be able to lightly cover the back of the spoon. Pour the chicken mushroom stew over the noodles and combine until the sauce has coated all the noodles and serve.

My inspiration for this lunch dish was when I went out for a quick snack with my hubby at our fav dessert place where they serve light snacks all hours of the day. I shared my plate with J while the other kids where out with friends.