Rangitikei Chicken Breast Steamed In Beer

An unusual way to influse flavour and really enhance the asian flavours in this simple dish.

6 dried shitake mushrooms
a stalk of lemon grass
2 cups of beer
2 spring onions, julienned
1 leek, green cut off and white julienned
2 small chillies, chopped
bunch of Thai basil, coarsely chopped
a piece of ginger about half a thumb long, peeled and julienned
1 medium sized carrot, peeled and julienned
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 single Rangitikei free range chicken breasts
large bamboo steamer

Ginger Dipping Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 cloves of garlic
1 small fresh red chilli, chopped
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 tbsp water

Soak mushrooms in hot water till they rehydrate (about 10 mins). Squeeze dry and julienne.
Prepare the lemon grass by removing the outer leaves, chopping the top off and cutting off the hard green stalks. Smash it a bit with the knife handle. Place it along with the beer in the pot.
Mix together the other ingredients. Place half of them on the bamboo rack, sprinkle with salt and pepper, put the chicken breasts on top and the rest on top of the chicken, sprinkling again with salt & pepper. Cover with the lid.
Bring the beer to the boil, place the steamer on top and steam on medium for about 20 minutes or till chicken is just cooked.
Remove carefully from the steamer to a platter and drizzle a little ginger sauce over. Serve with rice.