盐焗鸡

Salt-baked Chicken

This is a Cantonese speciality that employs a rather unusual cooking method. The whole chicken is wrapped in cloth and baked in salt, which acts like an oven, keeping in the heat to produce very succulent chicken meat.

serves 4

1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) chicken

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) sea salt or coarse salt

filling

1 spring onion (scallion), chopped

1 teaspoon grated ginger

2 star anise, crushed

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons Mei Kuei Lu Chiew or brandy

dipping sauce

1 tablespoon oil

1 spring onion (scallion), chopped

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

½ teaspoon salt

2½ tablespoons chicken and meat stock

Rinse the chicken, drain, and remove any fat from the cavity opening and around the neck. Cut off and discard the parson’s nose. Blanch the chicken in a pan of boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then refresh under cold water and dry well. Brush the chicken with the soy sauce and hang it up to dry in a cool and airy place for a couple of hours, or leave it uncovered in the fridge.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine the spring onion, ginger, star anise, salt and Mei Kuei Lu Chiew. Pour the filling into the cavity of the chicken. Wrap the chicken tightly with a large sheet of cheesecloth or fine muslin.

Heat the salt in a large clay pot or casserole very slowly until very hot, then turn off the heat and remove about half. Make a hole in the centre of the salt and place the chicken in it, breast side up, then cover with the salt removed earlier so that the chicken is completely buried. Cover the clay pot or casserole and cook over medium heat for 15–20 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 45–50 minutes. Leave for at least 15–20 minutes before taking the chicken out. (The salt can be reused.)

To make the dipping sauce, heat the oil in a small wok or saucepan. Fry the spring onion and ginger for 1 minute, then add the salt and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Remove the chicken from the casserole and unwrap it. Using a cleaver, cut the chicken through the bones into bite-size pieces. Arrange on a serving dish and serve hot or cold with the dipping sauce.