Stewed Chicken with Tree Flower

Stewed Chicken with Tree Flower

　　Stewed Chicken with Tree Flower is a signature dish from Hangzhou, Zhejiang. It features a clear and mellow broth, tender chicken, crispy yet delicate tree flowers, and an exceptionally fragrant taste, making it a delightful healthy delicacy. The tree flower, also known as ash tree mushroom, is referred to as tree clothing, tree flower vegetable, or flat silk grass. It grows on trees and resembles sea grapes. Research suggests it has anti-cancer properties, boosts health, nourishes skin, and promotes longevity.

　　As the saying goes, food nourishment is better than medicinal tonics. That’s why Chinese cuisine places great emphasis on preserving and extracting the nutritional value of ingredients during cooking. For instance, in lightly simmered dishes, nutrients from the ingredients are often released into the broth, not only enhancing the flavor but also making it easier to absorb and digest. That’s why we often use chicken soup to nourish the body. In this dish, the tree flower is a type of fungus that is flavorful and nutritious. When stewed together with chicken, the result is double the umami and double the nourishment.