“Chicken” and Broccoli in Garlic Sauce

The other day, we found a White Chicken (Laetiporus Cincinnatus) on a hike, and we had to bring it home with us! Given that this mushroom (in a similar way to Chicken of the Woods) can cause gastrointestinal upset in some people, we tested ourselves over the course of a few days, eating little bits at a time to see how we’d all do. Luckily, nobody experienced any side effects, so we decided to turn this mushroom (which by the way looks like it’s straight out of the Avatar world) into an entree!

Since the texture is a bit like chicken (and as you cut it, it looks a bit like chicken), we decided to try using it as a replacement for chicken in a Stir-Fry! In particular, we opted to pair it with some steamed broccoli, onions, carrots, and peas in an intense garlic sauce in our wok to serve over white rice.

Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients:

• White Chicken Mushroom or Chicken of the Woods
• Broccoli
• Shredded Carrots
• Onion
• Garlic
• Peas
• Soy Sauce
• Vegetable or Peanut Oil
• Sesame Seeds
• White Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Corn Starch and 1 Tablespoon Warm Water

Method:

• A few days prior to making, start testing your tolerance to the particular mushroom just to make sure you won’t get an upset stomach.
• When ready to cook, pour some oil into your wok. Then peel your garlic, and use a microplane grater to grate it into your oil.
• Cut your broccoli into florets, and steam until they begin to soften (we find this helps a lot for their texture in the final product).
• Slice your onion.
• Cut some lobes off your mushroom, and rinse them thoroughly. Then, pat them dry with a paper towel so they don’t absorb excess moisture, and cut them into strips.
• Heat your wok with the oil in it. When it’s hot, add your onions and carrots, and cook for a few minutes.
• Add in your peas and broccoli, and cook for another few minutes.
• Add in your mushroom pieces, and pour some soy sauce atop everything, and cook until your mushroom turns a vibrant orange and softens (about 5 minutes).
• Sprinkle in some white sugar, and stir to combine.
• Mix your corn starch and water together, and when they’re fully combined, pour that into your wok. Stir it in to thicken your sauce.
• Lastly, stir in your sesame seeds.
• Plate, devour, and enjoy!