Mushroom Chicken Soup (菌菇鸡汤)

Instructions

1. 1Cover the dried shiitake with 500 ml warm water and soak for 30 minutes until the caps are fully soft. Lift the mushrooms out, squeeze them gently, and strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve, leaving the last gritty tablespoon behind.

   🔍 Look for 温水泡 30 分钟 · 30 minutes in warm water

   Visual: 菇伞由干瘪发硬变为饱满柔韧，泡菇水转成深琥珀褐色Caps swell from wrinkled and hard to plump and pliable; the soaking water turns a deep amber-brown

   You know it's right when: 捏一下菇伞——中心完全变软，无硬芯Squeeze a cap — the center is soft all the way through with no hard core

2. 2Put the chicken in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, then pour everything out and rinse the chicken under cold water. Wash the pot too. This removes the scum that would otherwise cloud the soup permanently.

   🔍 Look for High heat 沸煮 3 分钟 · 3 minutes at a boil

   Visual: 表面聚起厚厚的灰褐色浮沫、水变浑；冲净后的鸡皮干净紧致Thick grey-brown foam collects on the surface and the water turns cloudy; the rinsed skin looks clean and taut

   You know it's right when: 腹腔内无粉色血水，冲洗过的表面不再滑腻No pink liquid remains in the cavity and the rinsed surface is no longer slippery

3. 3Return the clean chicken to the clean pot with 2.5 L cold water, the ginger, scallion knot, Shaoxing wine, soaked shiitake, and the strained soaking liquid. Bring to a boil, then immediately drop to the lowest simmer.

   🔍 Look for Low heat 最小火微沸 60 分钟 · 60 minutes at the lowest simmer

   Visual: 汤面只有偶尔懒懒地冒一个泡，锅边聚起几颗清亮的油珠Surface shows only the occasional lazy bubble breaking; a few beads of clear fat gather at the rim

   You know it's right when: 汤色已呈淡金、香气咸鲜；水位下降不到五分之一The broth is already pale gold and smells savory; the liquid level has dropped by less than a fifth

4. 4Simmer for 60 minutes, skimming the surface two or three times. Then add the fresh mushrooms and continue for 15 more minutes. Fresh mushrooms go in late on purpose — added at the start they dissolve and cloud the broth.

   🔍 Look for Low heat 60 + 15 分钟 · 60 + 15 minutes

   Visual: 汤色加深为清亮的金琥珀色；鲜菇伞饱满完整，浮在汤面之下Broth has deepened to a clear amber-gold; fresh mushroom caps are plump and intact, floating just under the surface

   You know it's right when: 筷子能毫无阻力地扎透鸡腿，流出的汁水清澈不泛红A chopstick pierces the thigh with no resistance and the juices run clear, not pink

5. 5Only now add salt and white pepper. Taste and adjust — the soup should taste clean and deeply savory, not salty. Skim the last of the surface fat with a spoon if you want it lighter, then ladle into bowls, making sure each one gets chicken, dried shiitake, and fresh mushrooms.

   🔍 Look for

   Visual: 汤色清亮琥珀，鸡皮半透明呈浅金，香菇伞深褐油亮，鲜菇饱满Clear amber broth, chicken skin translucent and pale gold, shiitake caps dark and glossy, fresh mushrooms plump

   You know it's right when: 汤液挂舌，咽下后鲜味能停留数秒The broth coats the tongue and the savory note lingers for several seconds after swallowing