Chicken, Leek & Mushroom Rice

Ingredients

• 250-300 g chicken breast
• 1 large leek
• 200 g button mushrooms
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 thin slice fresh ginger
• 120 g basmati or semi-wholegrain rice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 150 ml water or stock
• Salt, pepper

Method

1. Slice the chicken, leek and mushrooms.
2. Gently sauté the garlic and ginger in the oil.
3. Add the chicken and let it colour lightly.
4. Add the leek, mushrooms and stock.
5. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 min.
6. Serve over hot rice.

TCM perspective: A warm, cooked dish combining grain, poultry and vegetables suits the move into cooler weather well. Leek brings a mildly pungent flavour, traditionally associated with the Lung — but in moderation, since autumn calls for restraint with very pungent, drying flavours.

Tips & precautions: Best thought of as a dish that supports the body's natural defences and helps it prepare for the change of season, rather than as a treatment for an ongoing infection.

These are general principles of Chinese dietetics and do not replace personalised medical advice.