Asian Poultry Recipes - Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

  
 

Poultry Recipes - Salt Baked Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

  • 5kg/3-3 1/2lb corn-fed chicken

  • 1.5ml/1/4 tsp fine sea salt

  • 225kg/5lb coarse rock salt

  • 15ml/1 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 2.5cm/1 in piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped

  • 4 spring onions (scallions), cut into fine rings

  • boiled rice, garnished with shredded spring onions (scallions), to serve

Serves 8

Method:

  1. Rinse the chicken. Pat it dry, both inside and out, with kitchen paper; then rub the inside with the sea salt. Place four pieces of damp kitchen paper on the bottom of a heavy deep pan or wok just large enough to hold the chicken.

  2. Sprinkle a layer of rock salt over the kitchen paper, about 1cm/1/2in thick. Place the chicken on top of the layer of salt.

  3. Pour the remaining salt over the chicken until it is completely covered. Dampen six more pieces of kitchen paper and place these around the rim of the pan or wok. Cover with a tight-fitting lid.

  4. Put the pan or wok over a high heat for 10 minutes or until it gives off a slightly smoky smell.

  5. Immediately reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook the chicken for 30 minutes without lifting the lid. After 30 minutes, turn off the heat and leave for a further 10 minutes before carefully lifting the chicken out of the salt.

  6. Brush off any 5aIt still clinging to the chicken and allow the bird to cool for 20 minutes before cutting it into serving-size pieces.

  7. Heat the oil in a small pan until very hot. Add the ginger and spring onions and fry for a few seconds, then pour into a heatproof bowl and use as a dipping sauce for the chicken. Serve the chicken with rice, garnished with spring onions.

Note: This is a wonderful way of cooking chicken. All the delicious, succulent juices are sealed inside the salt crust - yet the flavor isn't too salty.