tea-smoked chicken

Here's a use for the wok that you might never have thought of: meat smoker. This recipe also requires a steamer (preferably bamboo) -- and some aromatic black tea. The chicken is then finished in an oven. But trust me ... you'll want to do the smoking in a well-ventilated kitchen or your smoke alarm WILL go off. Remember, too, that woks can be used over a charcoal or gas grill fire, so you might have better luck with this recipe if you save it for a summer cookout or backyard BBQ.

Makes 4 servings

3 Tbs Black Chinese tea
1 Tbs Brown sugar
1 Tbs Uncooked rice
1 Lemon grass stalk, chopped
4 Chicken breasts
8 Spring onions, sliced
1 Tbs Ginger root, thinly sliced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
4 oz Oyster mushrooms, torn
2 Tbs Soy sauce
4 Tbs Rice wine
Salt
Pepper

Line a large wok with aluminum foil. Mix together the black tea, sugar, rice and lemon grass, then sprinkle the mixture on the bottom of the wok.

Lay a bamboo steamer inside the wok. Place the chicken breasts on a plate and place it in the steamer. Cover. Over medium heat, smoke the chicken for 15 minutes on each side-- until the breasts are evenly brown.

Remove the chicken from the steamer. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 F.

Slice each breast in half lengthwise, and then place two breast halves onto a square of foil large enough to enclose each breast portion. Over each portion, scatter equal measures each of spring onion, ginger, garlic and oyster mushrooms. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzile soy sauce and rice wine over each portion. Wrap the foil up over each breast portion and pinch edges to seal.

Cook the foil pouches in the preheated 400 F oven for 20 minutes. Serve immediately with steamed white rice.