Cantonese style white-cut chicken: a plate full of Lingnan delicacies
In Guangdong, "No feast without chicken" is a dietary creed that goes deep into the bones.
If you want to taste the original flavor and freshness of chicken, the best choice is white-cut chicken .
This seemingly simple dish actually embodies the cooking philosophy of Cantonese cuisine. What is the cooking philosophy? It is "respecting ingredients and restoring the original taste." This dish is an indispensable page in Lingnan food culture.
The secret of material selection: Tender chicken is the soul, the emphasis is on freshness
To make authentic Cantonese-style plain-cut chicken, selecting ingredients is the first step to success.
When people are making food, there is no need to pursue those expensive chicken breeds. In the vegetable market, there are some with bright coats and thin legs and thin skin. Among them, Qingyuan chicken or Sanhuang chicken are very good choices.
The chicken is of this weight, and its meat is extremely tender. During cooking, it can be cooked quickly and ensure the same degree of doneness inside and outside, so that it is smooth in the mouth.
If you choose chilled chicken, make sure the meat is fresh and has no odor.
The function of cooking: steeping over slow fire to lock in the original juice
The secret to cooking plain-cut chicken lies in the word "soak" .
After handling the chicken, you need to use kitchen paper to absorb the moisture inside and outside. This is the key to the firmness of the chicken skin.
There are quite strict requirements for making the chicken soup base. The water in the pot must be sufficient. The standard is to be able to completely submerge the chicken. Add a few slices of ginger, a few green onions and a spoonful of cooking wine. This is the most simple three-piece combination to remove the fishy smell and increase the fragrance.
After the water is boiling, first hold the head of the chicken with your hands, then put the body of the chicken into the boiling water, lift it up and put it down three times, so that the skin of the chicken is heated, shrinks quickly and fixes the shape. This method can play an effective role in preventing the chicken skin from cracking during subsequent cooking, thereby achieving a smooth and delicate appearance for sale.
Then completely submerge the chicken in the water, and immediately turn to low heat so that the water surface remains in a state of "shrimp eye water" (that is, slightly bubbling, as if it is boiling but not yet boiling). Cover the pot and slowly soak it for about 20 to 25 minutes.
During this period, you can use a spoon to pour the hot soup over the chicken repeatedly to ensure that it is heated evenly.
The standard used to judge whether it is raw or cooked is to use a chopstick to gently poke the thickest part of the chicken leg. If clear juice flows out and there is no blood, it means it is in the perfect state of being cooked just right.
Guolenghe: The ultimate secret of crispy chicken skin
The cooked chicken must be immediately placed in the prepared ice water. This step is called "crossing the cold river" in Cantonese. It is the key to making the white-cut chicken achieve the effect of smooth skin and smooth meat. It is a clever touch that plays a finishing touch.
Use edible ice cubes to make ice water, make sure it can completely cover the chicken, and soak it for about 15 to 20 minutes until the inside and outside of the chicken are completely cool.
This process not only gives the chicken skin that ultimate, elastic texture, but also makes the fiber of the chicken firmer.
Cutting pieces and dipping: the ritual of breaking the whole into parts
After cooling, remove the chicken and drain it before proceeding to the last step - cutting into pieces .
This is a skill that tests your knife skills. You need to use a sharp knife and cut along the bone texture of the chicken. First remove the chicken wings, remove the chicken legs, then separate the chicken body, and chop it into evenly sized pieces. Finally, put the chicken back into its original shape on the plate, and pour a little of the original chicken soup. Only in this way can you show respect for the ingredients.
For a perfect plate of plain-cut chicken, its skin should be shiny and its meat should be as white as jade; and the layer of crystal-like, jelly-like meat jelly under the skin is exactly the essence of the highly concentrated deliciousness.
Eating plain-cut chicken with dipping sauces is the sublimation of the soul.
One of the most classic combinations is minced ginger and scallion. Mix the minced ginger and scallion in equal parts, then pour hot peanut oil over it to create a tangy aroma, and then add a little salt for seasoning.
The original flavor of chicken is enhanced by the ginger and green onion, making it even more fresh and sweet.
When you bite into it, the first thing you feel is the crispy feeling of the chicken skin, followed by the tender and smooth texture of the meat, and finally the salty flavor of the dipping sauce spreads in your mouth, and every bite is undoubtedly the most vivid interpretation of the word "fresh".
This is the charm of homemade plain-cut chicken. It does not require complicated and troublesome techniques. As long as you have a heart full of respect for food, you can completely copy the Lingnan dietary wisdom on your own dining table.
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