Eight Treasure Chicken

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Eight Treasure Chicken

Recipe Information
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.

Recipe Information

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.