Bai Qie Ji — Cantonese Poached Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 whole free-range chicken (about 1.6kg), at room temperature
• For the poaching: about 3 litres water, enough to cover the bird
• 6 slices fresh ginger
• 4 spring onions, tied into a knot
• 1 tbsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• For the ice bath: a large bowl of iced water
• For the ginger and spring onion sauce: 5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
• 4 spring onions, very finely sliced
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 100ml vegetable oil
• To finish: 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Method

1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Put the water, ginger, spring onions, salt and Shaoxing wine in a pot large enough to hold the chicken and bring to a boil.

2. Holding the chicken by the neck end, dip it into the water and lift out so that water fills the cavity, three times. Then lower it in completely.

3. Return to the boil, then reduce the heat so the water barely trembles. Simmer for 10 minutes. Never let it boil hard or the skin will split.

4. Turn off the heat, cover with a tight lid and leave for 35 minutes. The thickest part of the thigh must reach at least 75°C and the juices must run clear. If not, bring back to a gentle simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

5. Lift the chicken out and plunge it into the iced water for 10 minutes to stop the cooking and tighten the skin. Drain and pat dry. Rub with the sesame oil.

6. For the sauce, put the ginger, spring onions and salt in a heatproof bowl. Heat the oil until it just begins to smoke and pour it over, stirring. Leave to cool.

7. Chop the chicken into pieces through the bone and serve at room temperature with the sauce and steamed rice. Keep the poaching stock for soup.