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One whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)
¼ cup plus 2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3 scallions, trimmed and cut in half
Three ¼-inch-thick slices fresh ginger
For the wine sauce:
3 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine or
dry sherry
3 tablespoons steamed chicken liquid
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch freshly ground white pepper
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Method:
Clean the chicken and remove the fat and
membranes. Wash under cold running water, rinse, and drain.
Sprinkle with the ¼ cup salt, rub the outside well, rinse, drain,
and dry well with paper towels. Place the chicken in a steamproof dish, and sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons salt and
the sugar inside the cavity and out. Place 1 scallion and 1
slice of ginger in the cavity, the others along its sides. Bring
2 liters water to a boil in a wok. Place the dish containing the
chicken on a rack over the boiling water, cover, and steam for 45
minutes to 1 hour. Have boiling water at hand to replenish any
water that evaporates. Turn off the heat, remove the chicken
from the steamer, and reserve. In a small bowl, combine the
sauce ingredients. When the chicken is cool to the touch, cut
into bite-sized pieces and place in a deep serving dish. Pour
the sauce over the chicken, place in the refrigerator, and marinate
for at least 4 hours, to become "drunk". Serve as either a small
dish appetizer or a first course.
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