Chicken and Shiitake Mushrooms

Pat the chicken dry without rinsing and cut into 2–3 cm pieces. Wash the board, knife and containers after contact with raw chicken before preparing other ingredients.

Mix the chicken with 2 tsp light soy sauce and 2 tsp cornstarch, then 1 tsp oil. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, briefly rinse and drain the mushrooms, remove the tough stems and slice about 8 mm thick. Prepare the ginger and separate the spring onion whites and greens.

Heat the wok over medium heat and add 2 tsp oil. Stir-fry the mushrooms for about 3 minutes until softened and lightly coloured at the edges. Transfer to a clean plate.

Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the same wok. Stir-fry the ginger and all the spring onion whites over medium heat for about 20 seconds. Increase to medium-high, spread out the chicken and let it set briefly, then stir-fry for about 3 minutes until opaque outside. Do not brown it deeply; it still needs further cooking.

Return the mushrooms. Add the remaining 1 tsp light soy sauce, all 1 tbsp oyster sauce and 100 ml water. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes. Check that the thickest chicken piece reaches 75°C for 30 seconds; cook a little longer and recheck if needed. Add a small splash of water if the pan dries before the chicken is cooked.

Uncover and increase to medium-high. Toss for about 1–2 minutes until the sauce lightly coats the chicken and mushrooms, leaving a little flowing sauce in the wok. Fold in all the spring onion greens, turn off the heat and transfer to a clean plate. Stop before the sauce becomes a dry, sticky paste.