SHRIMP-INFUSED SLOW-POACHED CHICKEN

This recipe illustrates how Chinese cooking is one of the world’s most original cuisines.Sous vide cookery，now a prominent feature of many kitchens across the globe，is based on the principle that cooking foods sealed in airtight bags at low temperatures results in a more tender，more uniformly consistent end product However.before the invention of thermometers chefs from the forbidden palace in Beijing were already using this ingenious cooking technique to produce this wonderfully moist chicken dish，the bird being infused with a sweet shrimp stock

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

l spring onion

50g piece of fresh root ginger

1 corn-fed chicken，about 1.2kg

sesame oil，for brushing

Ginger Spring Onion Sesame Oil，to serve

For the shrimp stock

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

100g dried shrimps

100g prawn shells

3.5 litres hot water

10g mixed whole Chinese spice（avoid including too much cardamom or clove）

80g sea salt

40g sugar

100ml Shaoxing rice wine

1.For the shrimp stock，heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and lightly fry the dried shrimps and prawn shells.add the hot water and whole Chinese spice and gently simmer for 1 hour Strain to remove the shrimps and shells and return to the pan.add the sea salt，sugar and wine o and bring to the boil，then leave to cool and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2. Stuff the spring onion and piece of ginger into the cavity of the chicken

3.USing a pair of tongs，lower the chicken into a large pan of boiling water for 10 seconds.Remove the chicken and wait for the water to come back to the boil.then return the chicken to the water for a further 10 seconds.Repeat this procedure 5 times.On the final dunking leave the chicken in the pan，cover with a lid and leave for 30 minutes with the heat off.

4.Turn the chicken over and bring the water back to the boil

5.Turn off the heat and leave for a further 20 minutes.Using a probe thermometer，check the internal temperature of the thigh is above 63 C If it isn’t，return the chicken to the water and simmer for a further 5 minutes.If you forgot to buy your probe thermometer，slap yourself round the face for not striving for perfection and then lightly cut into the thigh of the chicken to check if the juices are clear.If you see blood，return the chicken to the pan and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the juices run clear

6.Remove the chicken from the pan and immediately place it in iced water for 15 minutes，thenremove it from the water，submerge it in the prepared shrimp stock and leave to infuse at room temperature for 30 minutes

7.Remove the chicken from the stock and brush all over with sesame oil

8.Chill for 3 hours in the refrigerator to firm up the flesh before chopping and serving with the Ginger Spring Onion Sesame Oil for dipping

CHEFS TIP

Save the prawns from peeling off the shells to make your Har Goa Prawn Filling

hancheng

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