Steamed Chicken with Shiitake Mushroom Rolls

This dish is a celebration of tradition and technique, blending the tender succulence of chicken legs with the earthy richness of shiitake mushrooms and the delightful crunch of Vietnamese pork sausage meat. Steamed to perfection, these rolls are testament of the art of preserving moisture and locking in flavour. Each bit offers a medley textures - tender chicken, crunchy sausage, and the unique chewiness of shiitake mushrooms.

And don't forget - the rolls shine brightest when dipped in a salt, pepper and lime mixture. This simple yet dynamic sauce enhances every element of the dish.

Let's dive into how to make these delightful rolls from scratch.

Ingredients to make Steamed Chicken and Shiitake Mushroom Rolls

For the chicken rolls:

Chicken legs: juicy and tender brown meat. Debone them carefully to create flat meat pads for rolling. Keep the skin on for extra layer of flavour and easier wrapping.

For Vietnamese pork sausage meat:

• Pork mince (partially frozen for easier handling)
• Baking powder
• Cornstarch (or potato starch)
• Fish sauce
• Ground pepper
• Caster sugar
• Oil
• Cold water

Star ingredient

Shitake mushrooms: fresh or dried works perfectly. Soak dried ones in hot water for 10 minutes to soften.

Steps to make Steamed Chicken with Shiitake Mushroom Rolls

1. Prepare the pork sausage meat

The Vietnamese pork sausage meat forms the heart of these rolls, so start here:

• If your pork mince is fresh, pop it into the freezer for 2-3 hours until firm but still soft enough to chop. For already frozen mince, leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• Chop the semi-frozen pork into small chunks. Add baking powder, cornstarch, fish sauce, ground pepper, caster sugar, oil and cold water and blend the mixture in a powerful blender. Blend in short bursts - about 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off - to avoid overworking your blender.
• Once the mixture begins to look smooth, chill it again for 15-20 minutes in the freezer. Keeping the pork cold is crucial for sausage to maintain its signature crunch without additives.

2. Prepare the chicken

While the sausage meat chills, prepare your chicken legs:

• Use a sharp knife to carefully debone the chicken legs, leaving you with flat pieces of meat.

• Place them skins-side down on a board or plate. Season generally with sea salt and ground black pepper, then set aside.

3. Blend the sausage meet again

Remove the chilled sausage meat from the freezer and blend it a few more times in short bursts until achieves a perfectly smooth consistency.

4. Assemble the Rolls

• Lay a piece of chicken leg flat on your board
• Spread out a few shiitake mushrooms, then add a dollop of sausage meat on top. Place another couple of shiitake mushrooms over the sausage meat.
• Roll the chicken tightly, encasing the sausage and mushrooms. Wrap the roll neatly in tin foil to secure it.
• Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

5. Steam the rolls

• Heat your steamer until boiling. Arrange the rolls inside and steam on high heat for 25 minutes.
• Once cooked, remove the rolls from the steamer, unwrap the foil, and slice them into pieces.

The essential dipping sauce

Mix together

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• Juice of half a lime

This simple salt, pepper, and lime mixture is a must. While sweet and sour dipping sauce are an option, this tangy, zesty sauce truly elevates the rolls, highlighting their savoury goodness.

Enjoy the perfect bite

These Steamed Chicken with Shiitake Mushroom Rolls are a feast of flavours and textures. Whether it's a family dinner or a special occasion, this dish never fails to impress.

Give it a try, and let me know how it turns out - or if you've put your own spin on it!

Check out my other Chicken recipes here.