Cloud ears and lily flowers

(serves 6)

I'm not sure if it's a common experience, but sometimes when i visit the Asian grocery store i get this feeling of being rather uncultured and un-Chinese because there's this whole aisle that i have no idea what it is all about. Cloud ears and lily flowers are a few of those products in this mysterious aisle that mum was teaching me about this Chinese New Year. 

Cloud ear  is a type of black fungus that is used in Chinese cooking for its crunchy texture, it doesn't really have any flavour by itself but can absorb some flavour if cooked in sauce. Lily flowers are often used in soups to thicken and add sweetness, but can also be rehydrated and used in stir-fries!

Prep time: 30 min + extra soaking time for shiitake mushrooms

Cooking time: 20 min 

Ingredients:
50g dried lily flower
50g dried cloud ear
10 dried shiitake mushrooms
400g chicken thigh fillet
2 T oyster sauce
shallots, to garnish

Chicken Marinade:
1 T Soy sauce
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Cornflour

Method:
1. Soak the shiitake mushrooms for at least a few hours. 
2. Soak the dried lily flower and cloud ear for approx 30min. Drain the cloud ear and the lily flower. Cut off the ends of the cloud ear if it's too hard to eat.

3. Cut and marinate chicken thigh fillets in soy sauce, sugar, salt and cornflour and leave for 30min.
4. Cut and slice the rehydrated mushrooms, keeping the mushroom stock.
5. Heat a wok on medium heat, add 1T oil, then stir-fry the mushrooms until the aroma is released. Add in the chicken and stir-fry for 3-5minutes.
6. Add in the rehydrated cloud ear and lily flower.

7. In a small bowl, mix 2 T oyster sauce with 2-3T of the mushroom stock. 
8. Add the sauce to the wok and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
9. Garnish with some shallots and with rice!