Magao Clam and Chicken Soup 馬告蛤蜊雞湯

Magao pepper, or mountain pepper is one of the traditional spices often used by Taiwan's indigenous tribes. Just a small amount of magao pepper, its minty, peppery, some even describe it as floral aroma can work wonders to the dish.   

However, even in Taiwan, magao pepper is not widely available in all the grocery stores. I actually got mine during a visit up on the mountains from a local tribe spice stand. Worry not, you can substitute with green Sichuan peppercorn. The flavors are quite different but the idea of adding a refreshing and aromatic touch is the same.

Magao clam and chicken soup 馬告蛤蜊雞湯 - 

Ingredients?

• 600 grams chicken (with bones and skin-on)
• 300 grams clam
• 3 slices ginger
• 1 teaspoon magao pepper
• Some salt
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice cooking wine 米酒
• 7 to 8 cups hot water

How? 

I used Silkie chicken, thus the darker meat and bone color. This breed of chicken works really well as the base ingredient for soup, per my opinion it'll release more flavor and umami. However, you can use the regular chicken, but do choose leaner free range variety if possible.

Cut the chicken to large pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add in the chicken. It'll only take less than one minute. The point is to draw out some dirty bits. Drain and set aside for later use.

Prep the clams early if needed, like soak them first in order to draw out the sands. Gently wash the shells. 

Scrape the skin off the ginger and slice to get two pieces, about 1mm thickness.

Bring out a pot, I used clay pot here, add in the chicken, ginger slices along with 7 to 8 cups of hot water. 

Bring to a boil then switch the heat to keep it at a light bubbling stage. Skim-off the foamy bits on top. When the soup appears much clearer without the foamy bits, continue to cook for 40 minutes lid on.

After that, add in magao pepper, Chinese rice cooking wine, and clams. Cook till the clam shells pop open. No need to put back the lid since this step will happen pretty quickly. Taste and adjust with some salt. I only added 1/2 teaspoon of salt for mine.

Adding clams to chicken soup definitely boost up the umami level. Also the use of magao pepper brings in a refreshing touch. 

I would say clams, chicken, and magao pepper work like a perfect trio. Just a sudden pop of idea, perhaps I can create a pasta or thin noodles dish with these three elements in the future.

A little note in the end, if you can't finish all the soup at once, at least try to finish the clams first. Clams might shrink a bit more if you try to reheat the soup again. However, I think that all the essence of the clams have been released to the soup, and that's what matters the most to me. 

Extended reading:

• Aromatic magao chicken soup prepared with Tatung steam rice cooker

Hijiki and Inari Age Onigiri 羊栖菜豆皮飯糰

Hijiki is definitely one of the key ingredients here. However, I think inari age is equally important, or perhaps have an even bigger role in the make or break of this onigiri recipe.  

I could have used simple aburaage/fried tofu skin instead, but inari age, the "seasoned" fried tofu pouch was already flavored. Its sweet and savory seasonings add a ton of flavor boost to the onigiri. That's why I highly recommend you to use inari age if you can get a hold of it.

Hijiki and inari age onigiri 羊栖菜豆皮飯糰 - 

Ingredients (about 4 to 6 portions)?

• 1 to 1.5 rice-measuring cups short grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons dried hijiki
• 2 sheets inari age (seasoned fried tofu pouch)
• 150 grams chicken breast
• 1 small chunk carrot
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon double-condensed tsuyu

How?

Cook the rice with slightly lesser water than usual. Once done, fluff the rice and let them cool off before making into onigiri. You can use leftover rice that's been stored in the fridge too.

Soak the dried hijiki in cold water for 20 minutes. Once ready, drain and set aside. I've got before and after soaking pictures side by side so you can see how much the hijiki has puffed up afterwards.

Cut the chicken breast into short strips. Peel and julienne the carrot. Cut the inari age to strips.

Try to use the flavorful inari age, but if you can't find it, regular tofu skin will do, just remember to add about 1 extra teaspoon of sugar during the cooking process later on.

Take a non-stick pan, pour in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and turn to medium heat. Once the oil warms up, transfer the carrot over and stir-fry for about a minute, or till softened a bit.

Add the chicken and cook till the strips are separated from one another. 

Add in drained hijiki and inari age strips. Give it a quick mix and cook for another minute or so.

Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of tsuyu. Mix till evenly blended. Keep stir-frying the mixture till it dries up a little. Once ready, scoop out and transfer to a big mixing container.

Mix in room temperature rice, at least not steamy hot, fluff till evenly blended with the stir-fried ingredients. You might need to use more or less rice, I'll let you be the judge of it.

Lay out a sheet of cling foil in the center of the working surface. Scoop some rice mixture over and grab all four ends to tighten up the shape of the rice within. Try to press and shape the rice ball into triangular shaped onigiri. Remove the cling foil and set the onigiri to serving plate.

Repeat for the remaining rice. You might want to change the cling foil after one or two onigiri. It'll be easier to grab, tighten, and shape the rice it holds. 

Shaping the rice mixture into onigiri can be quite a challenge with unexperienced hands. Try a few more times, don't stress if onigiri falls apart, it still tastes good no matter the shape. 

However, don't give up too early. Based on my past experiences, the key of making onigiri for beginners is that you have to press even tighter, giving the rice much more force than you think. 

I know that on TV or videos these Japanese aunties can always make numbers of onigiri with ease. Their hand movements are so gentle and all the sudden a perfectly triangle-shaped onigiri popped up. Not for the novice hands. Aim for the rice that can stick onto one another without falling apart, and perhaps through time, we will become one of these expert aunties in the art of ideally pressed onigiri.