Had a little of the soy substitute sauce left over from the recipe a couple of days ago so thought I’d make some choy mein. But there wasn’t quite enough sauce for that and I’d gotten a jar of plum jam out of the freezer and added some of that and oh my goodness, how mouth-watering is this! Like adding a little pear or apple to a pork or chicken gravy, adding a little plum to this Chinese sauce turned out luscious. Don’t have any plum jam around the house? Stew up 2 plums (skin too if organic) along with about 2 tablespoons of date syrup and then puree it and you’ve got plum jam!
Just like with most Chinese recipes, the first step is always to cut everything up!
Peel:
1 small to medium onion, slice in half thin slices
1 large o 2 smaller carrots, slice on the diagonal
2 garlic cloves, minced
Trim:
2 whole stalks or 4 stalks from the celery heart (about a cup altogether), slice diagonally
6 ounces of shitake mushrooms, sliced
Put the vegetables in a bowl and set aside until ready to cook. Trim the fat and slice:
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts*
Place the slices in a food storage bag and add:
2 tablespoons soy sauce substitute (see recipe under sauces)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot
1/4 to 1/3 cup plum jam
Seal and refrigerate 15-30 minutes until ready to cook. When ready to cook, heat over medium heat in a 12″ skillet:
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add the vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes. Cover and lower heat to medium low and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until carrots are tender. Remove the vegetables to their bowl, turn the heat back to medium and add to the skillet:
the marinated chicken and marinade
Cook stirring constantly until the chicken is cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the vegetables back to the skillet along with:
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
Stir to combine and continue stirring until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Serve with brown rice or rice noodles.
*Want a vegan entrée? Substitute firm tofu or your favorite plant-based protein.
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