CHICKEN BEAN CURD ROLL (DIM SUM STYLE)

Dim Sum, is what i call the Chinese version to the French's hors d'oeuvre and the Spanish tapas. These are dishes served bite sizes or small portions often served on small bamboo steamers or stainless steel steamers. The "bad" thing for this style of food, Chinese Dim sum are only served from 11:00 a.m. until 3 p.m. so if you crave for dim sum at night...too bad!

So...that's why i'm sharing with you this recipe. These can be kept in the fridge for 4 days. But really, they don't last the following day every time i make them.

Also, don't be deceived by how long this recipe is. It's easy believe me. The only issue that one might have a problem is... finding the dried bean curd sheets. These are available at your Asian stores but  i've been seeing celebrity chefs using  them, so i'm pretty sure it will soon be available at the Oriental aisle of  any grocery stores anytime soon.

This dish needs a steamer but you can use a wok or frying pan if you don't have a steamer.

Chicken Bean Curd Rolls served with soy sauce, chili oil dip.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. chicken leg quarters*
5 pcs. Shitake mushrooms (soaked in water to rehydrate)*
1 medium sweet onions (julienne)
1 small can bamboo shoots (thinly sliced)*
For Marinade:
2 T sesame oil
3 T oyster sauce
3 T soy sauce
1 T ShaoXing wine (Chinese wine or Dry sherry)
2 T cornstarch
1  C chicken stock or water (store bought chicken stock or broth will do)*
*For chicken stock:
Chicken bones
2 Stalks of celery (chopped)
1 small onion (chopped)
2 pcs. Carrots (chopped)
6 C water

Preparation:
Step 1:
 - Clean and debone chicken leg quarters. Cut to bite sizes. Set aside.
- Discard the skin or save them for later use, like crispy skin. Save the bones to make your stock.
- On a pot, add water, bones, chopped celery, chopped onions, and chopped carrots.
- Bring to a boil for an hour. Set aside and let it cool. If you have extra stock save them for other use like soup.

Step 2:
- Mix all the marinade ingredients. Pour half of the mixture into the chicken and let it marinate for 30 minutes inside the refrigerator. Half of the marinade will be used later.

Step 3:
- While the chicken stock is cooling and the chicken meat are marinating, start heating up your steamer.
- Drain the soaked mushroom, discard the stems and thinly slice the mushroom cups.
- Julienne the onions.
- If you are using fresh bamboo shoots like I did, thinly slice them. Using a little of the chicken stock, Cook/ boil them until tender. Skip this step if using canned bamboo shoots. They are already tender.

Step 4:
- Now that everything are sliced and prepared, start soaking your bean curd in lukewarm water for few seconds. When it starts to soften, gingerly take the sheets out and lay them on a chopping board.
- Using a pair of scissors cut the bean curd sheets into 3- crosswise.
- Assemble your chicken roll by putting a piece of chicken, 2 pieces of mushrooms, 2 pieces of bamboo shoots, and some slices of the onions on the middle bottom part of the bean curd sheets. Roll and tuck and fold in both sides like you would a burrito.
- Place them on a deep dessert plate or on a pie plate seam side down.
- Repeat process until you have used all bean curd sheets.

Step 5:
Place plates in the steamer.
Pour the remaining marinade on to the plates and add little of the chicken.
Steam for an hour and half or until tender.
Keep adding chicken stock if necessary.

Serve with soy sauce and chili oil dip if you want.
Serve with steamed white rice.

This how it looks  inside ;)

Dried Bean Curd Sheets. These are also used for a Filipino dishes, check this out...  KiKiam . 

Dried Shitake mushrooms. Soak these in water to rehydrate.

Fresh Bamboo Shoots.

Position the meat, mushrooms, onions and bamboo shoots in the middle lower part of the sheet.

Roll and fold the sides inside like you would a borrito.

place them on a small plate or pie plate, seam side down.