Chinese Steamed Chicken

Steamed chicken is popular in some Chinese homes, especially Cantonese.  It is one of the many comfort foods that I cherish since childhood.  My comfort food spans from Indonesian to Chinese cuisines due to the fact that I was born and partly raised in Indonesia in a Chinese home.  This recipe is healthy and versatile, you can delete any of the supplemental ingredients in the recipe below if you want to.  Furthermore, you can adjust the marinade seasonings to your taste as well.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of whole chicken - cut into medium pieces
• 1/4 cup of dry lily bulbs - wash and soak to soften
• 1/2 cup wood ears, dried (soak to soften first) or fresh
•  4 large shiitake mushrooms - thin cuts, dried (soak to soften first) or fresh
• 5 dried red dates, halves
• 1 tbsp ginger - thin julienne cuts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp rice wine
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• dash of white pepper
• 1/2 tsp corn starch
• little water to dilute the corn starch

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients well
2. Prepare steamer - place a steamer holder/rack and add enough water to cover the holder/rack in the steamer, let it boils.  Put the chicken onto the steamer holder once the water start boiling.  This is how I usually steam the chicken.  You can steam it any other way you prefer, I assume the end result (taste or flavor wise) should be the same.
3. Steam for about 15 minutes