This is my riff on the classic Vietnamese pairing of chicken and fresh straw mushrooms. Because only canned straw mushrooms are available here, I have used fresh oyster mushrooms, a good stand-in with a subtlety that complements the snow peas. If oyster mushrooms aren’t available, use fresh shiitakes, removing their stems and slicing the caps into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. For a light meal, serve this quick stir-fry with Napa Cabbage and Shrimp Soup (page 58), a simple stir-fried vegetable like thinly sliced summer squash, and, of course, rice.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes

　　

Marinade

1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon sugar

　　1 teaspoon cornstarch

　　1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

　　1 tablespoon light (regular) soy sauce

　　3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut crosswise into slices 1/4 inch thick

　　

Flavoring Sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

　　1/8 teaspoon white pepper

　　1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

　　1 tablespoon water

　　1 tablespoon light (regular) soy sauce

　　1 1/2 teaspoons oyster sauce

　　2 teaspoons sesame oil

　　2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil

　　3 quarter-sized slices ginger, peeled and lightly bruised

　　1/2 small yellow onion, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick

　　1/2 pound fresh oyster mushrooms, torn in half if large

　　1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed, strings removed, and cut in half on the diagonal if large

　　3-inch section carrot, peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal

　　4 tablespoons water

　　

Step 1

To make the marinade, in a large bowl, combine the salt, sugar, cornstarch, wine, and soy sauce and stir to dissolve the sugar and cornstarch. Add the chicken and mix to coat evenly.

　　

Step 2

To make the flavoring sauce, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, white pepper, cornstarch, water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil and stir well.

　　

Step 3

In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the ginger and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, for about 1 minute, or until it begins to brown. Using a spatula, flip the chicken and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it has taken on color but is still slightly undercooked. Transfer to a plate.

　　

Step 4

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and heat until hot. Add the onion and stir-fry for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, snow peas, carrot, and 2 tablespoons of the water. Stir-fry for 1 minute, or until the water has evaporated. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons water.

　　

Step 5

Return the chicken and its juices to the pan and stir-fry briefly to finish cooking. Add the flavoring sauce and stir-fry for 1 minute. Transfer to a serving plate and serve.

　　Reprinted with permission from Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors by Andrea Nguyen. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Copyright © 2006.  Photographs by Leigh Beisch. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.