Chicken, choko and black fungus stir-fry

If you're a choko-skeptic, this stir-fry will definitely change your mind about choko being a slimy and mushy vegetable. This recipe was inspired by Toy's Garden, a Chinese restaurant in Horsham, Victoria.

Chicken, choko and black fungus stir-fry Credit: Kitti Gould

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Jennifer Wong via her Mum, Leon Toy

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Ingredients

• 300 g chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp (40 ml) oil
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 medium choko (~750 g), peeled and thinly sliced (see notes)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 100 g salted radish (choi bo in Cantonese), washed and cut into strips
• 50 g black fungus, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, then drained
• ½ cup water
• 5 x 4 cm piece ginger, sliced
• steamed rice, to serve

Marinade for the chicken

• ⅓ tsp salt
• ½ tsp sugar
• pinch of white pepper
• ½ tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp cooking wine

For the cornflour slurry

• 1½ tbsp oyster sauce
• ½ tsp sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour
• ⅓ cup water

Instructions

1. Combine the chicken breast with the marinade for the chicken in a large bowl. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before using.
2. Heat half the oil in the wok or pan, add half the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the chokos and the salt and cook, tossing for 30 seconds. Add the salted radish, black fungus and water, then cover for 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables and liquid from the pan.
3. Return the pan to the heat with the remaining oil. Once hot, add the remaining garlic and ginger and cook, tossing, until fragrant. Add the chicken and allow it to brown on one side before tossing to cook. Once all the chicken is browned, return the vegetables to the pan and stir fry.
4. To make the slurry, combine all slurry ingredients in a small bowl, then add to the pan and toss to coat. Serve with steamed rice.

Note

• The choko's Chinese name is 'palms together melon', due to its shape. Cut off the top edge of the choko so you have a flat base to slice it in half safely. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the two halves. Cut the choko into four equal pieces and remove the seed. Cut into ½ cm thick slices.

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Jennifer Wong via her Mum, Leon Toy

Stream free On Demand

Quick Wok Cooking

Watch The Full Episode Here

G

Watch The Full Episode Here

G