• Yield: 4-5 first course servings or 2-3 ample, meal-size servings
  • Total: Including rice prep, 1 3/4 hours
  • Active: 30-45 minutes

Ingredients (16)

  • 1 cup uncooked white rice – should make 2 cups cooked
  • 3 ounces small frozen cooked shrimp, thawed
  • 5 ounces skinless, boneless chicken pieces cut into chunks and cooked (microwave or saute’, or use leftover chicken)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tblsp cornstarch
  • 4 cups chicken broth (2 cans, or use lightly seasoned homemade chicken stock)
  • ½ cup mushrooms, chopped or thinly sliced
  • ½ – 1 full can of sliced water chestnuts
  • ¼ cup sliced bamboo shoots – optional
  • ¼ cup sliced green onions
  • Add or omit vegetables as desired; I like to add some thinly sliced carrot. If using greens like napa cabbage or bok choy, shred or thinly slice and add just before serving
  • ½ cup snow pea pods, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teasp. pepper (preferably white pepper but any ground pepper will work)
  • 2 tblsp sherry (or rice wine, or any cooking or dry white wine will do)
  • 1 tsp soy sauce

A move from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks meant I could no longer find one of my favorite foods in a local restaurant. I had to learn to make it. Here’s my recipe – I hope you enjoy it! Feel free to add or subtract ingredients as your tastes dictate.

This is a dish of Taiwanese origin, but “Americanized”.

Instructions

  1. Before starting to make the soup: Cook rice first, as directed on package. Then, spread cooked rice in a thin layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake about one hour at 300 degrees, turning the rice layer over after 30 minutes. (Ovens vary; you may need to bake a bit longer to get it crispy, but don’t let it burn.) Break rice apart and set aside. Fry and add to soup as directed.
  2. 1. Mix together the chicken, shrimp, cornstarch, sherry and soy sauce; set aside. 2. Into the soup pot put the broth, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots, if you’re using them. Bring to a boil, add salt and pepper. Reduce heat and allow to simmer 3 or 4 minutes. 3. Add mushrooms, green onions and any other fresh vegetables you are using.
  3. 4. Beat egg and add it to the chicken, shrimp and sherry mixture. 5. Meanwhile, heat 3 tblsp oil until hot in a frying pan; place rice in oil to brown. 6. Add chicken and shrimp mixture to hot broth; stir and return to a boil. If adding fresh shredded greens, now is the time! 7. Remove rice from oil with slotted spoon, drain very briefly on paper towels. 8. Carefully pour soup in large serving terrine – or just serve from the stock pot.
  4. 9. Tableside, add rice to soup. If both are hot enough, your soup should sizzle! Dish into serving bowls immediately and enjoy!