CHINESE COOKING: This is a very traditional way to serve chicken that requires very little seasoning & easy preparation.

STEAMED CHICKEN WITH SPRING-ONIONS AND OIL DRESSING葱油雞:



1 spring chicken, about 2 ½ to 3 lb. in weight

4 tbsp. finely-julienned green onion

2 tbsp. finely julienned ginger

4 tbsp. oil

1 tsp. tapioca starch mixed with 1 tsp. water


seasoning:

2-4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. rice wine, sake or dry sherry
2 stalks green onion, cut into long pieces
2 slices ginger




Rinse and pat dry chicken. Mix salt to taste and wine together and rub it all over chicken inside and out. Put spring onion and ginger inside cavity and let stand 1 hour.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Arrange chicken, breast side up in a dish placed inside a bamboo steamer. Fit steamer over the boiling water. Cover and steam chicken for 25 minutes or until tested done.

Cut chicken up into serving pieces and reserve steaming liquid. Arrange cut pieces into the original shape of the bird on a serving platter. Place reserved steaming liquid in a saucepan and cook it over high heat until boiling. Add starch solution into boiling liquid, stirring constantly, and bring back to the boil. Cook sauce for a minute or until thickened. Pour sauce over chicken; then arrange spring onion and ginger strips on top of chicken. Heat oil in clean saucepan until very hot; and spoon hot oil over ginger and onion pieces.


VARIATION: MAN CHONG CHICKEN 文昌雞:

Cook chicken and arrange pieces on serving platter. Make a sauce by cooking together 1/3 cup sesame oil; 1/3 cup cooking liquid; 1 tbsp. black Chinese vinegar and 1 tbsp. each of grated ginger, garlic and spring onion. Omit green onion and ginger strips and pour sauce directly over chicken pieces to serve.