Source:

Rudy2

Serves/Makes:4 or more

Ingredients

• 1 large frying chicken, about 4 lbs (1.8 kg).
• 8 large dried bamboo leaves, soaked in warm water until soft
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 3/4 cup (175 ml) glutinous rice, soaked in cold water for one hour (can use Calrose)
• 2 oz (56 grm). Chinese sausage, cut into 1/4-inch diagonal slices
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) dried lotus seed, blanched or whole blanched almonds
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) dried shrimp, soaked and drained
• 4 dried black mushroom caps, soaked, drained and diced
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) clouds ears, soaked and drained
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water chestnuts, diced
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) sliced green onions
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) hoisin sauce

Preparation

• Rinse and dry chicken and set it on a large cutting board. With a cleaver, cut off wings.
• Cut off neck, if present.
• Remove fat from cavity and neck areas.
• Place chicken breast side down on board.
• With a sharp boning or paring knife, cut through skin along backbone.
• Peel skin back a little on one side, cutting away meat from bones.
• When hip and shoulder joints are exposed, twist or cut them away from carcass, being careful not to tear skin.
• Leave the leg alone for now and concentrate on cutting the breast free from breastbone.
• Be especially careful not to puncture skin lying across breastbone.
• Repeat on other side, then lift carcass away from skin, carefully cutting skin free from ridge of breastbone.
• Remove leg bones by first, cutting skin length of thigh and then cutting and scraping meat away from bone.
• Repeat process for drumstick.
• Follow along for other side thigh and drumstick.
• You should now have left a whole skin and most of the meat. Trim any large pieces of meat remaining on carcass and add
• to skin.
• Drain bamboo leaves and cut off thick stems.
• Cut two 4-foot lengths of kitchen twine, and lay them crosswise across bottom of a shallow steaming bowl.
• Lay two leaves crosswise over string in bowl.
• Arrange remaining leaves at intermediate angles to cover bottom of bowl completely.
• Combine soy sauce and wine; rub mixture over both sides of chicken.
• Place chicken skin side down in bowl on top of leaves. Rearrange any loose pieces of meat on skin to form a roughly equal layer.
• Drain rice and combine with sausage, lotus seed, shrimp, mushrooms, cloud ears, water chestnuts, green onions and hoisin sauce.
• Spread mixture over middle of chicken, then wrap skin around stuffing, overlapping slightly.
• Fold leaves tightly around chicken and secure with strings. Tie bundle in several directions to maintain shape.
• (This is where it helps to have an extra set of hands.)
• Steam in bowl, skin side up (the side with the wider parts of leaves showing) for 2 hours.
• To serve: Remove strings and set package in serving dish, skin side up.
• Cut skin open with four crossing cuts, cutting down through skin into stuffing, and fold back leaves like an 8-pedaled flower.
• Discard loose pieces of leaves.
• Spoon a little of stock from steaming bowl onto stuffing before serving.

Comments

Source: Chinese Cooking at the Academy pg. 82

Notes: This recipe is made with a whole chicken, deboned. Boning the chicken is not difficult, but it takes time, especially the first time. Don't worry if you cut or tear the skin in a few places; the leaf wrapping will hold it together. The other tricky step is tying up the bundle of chicken, stuffing, and leaves; another pair of hands is helpful. Use a plate to turn the package while tying the strings. Bamboo leaves are available in Asian markets.