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Beggar's chicken

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Beggar's chicken is a delicious and unique dish that hails from China. It's made by marinating a whole chicken with various aromatic spices and herbs, then wrapped in lotus leaves and clay, and finally slow-cooked to perfection. The clay crust seals in all the flavors and juices, resulting in an incredibly tender and flavorful chicken. It's called "Beggar's chicken" because the story goes that a beggar once stole a chicken, but had no way to cook it, so he wrapped it in clay and baked it underground, creating this delightful dish.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Marinating Time 2 hours
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 301

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken (around 3-4 pounds)
  • 8 lotus leaves (soaked in water until soft)
  • 8 pounds clay (remove any impurities)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or rice wine)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 inch ginger (sliced)
  • 4 green onions (chopped)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, minced garlic, sliced ginger, chopped green onions, vegetable oil, salt, and pepper.
  3. Clean the chicken thoroughly, removing any excess fat or innards. Pat it dry with paper towels.
  4. Rub the marinade mixture all over the chicken, both inside and outside. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator) to enhance the flavors.
  5. Take a large piece of soaked lotus leaf and wrap it around the chicken, ensuring it's completely covered. Repeat with the remaining lotus leaves.
  6. Take the clay and divide it into 2 equal portions. Roll out one portion into a large, thin circle.
  7. Place the lotus leaf-wrapped chicken onto the clay circle. Carefully wrap the chicken with the clay, making sure it's completely covered, leaving no gaps.
  8. Repeat the process with the second portion of clay, double-checking that the chicken is fully enclosed.
  9. Place the clay-wrapped chicken onto a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
  10. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
  11. To serve, crack open the hardened clay crust with a mallet or by gently tapping it with a spoon. Carefully remove the clay and lotus leaves, revealing the beautifully cooked chicken.
  12. Slice the chicken and serve it with steamed rice or your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 301kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 26gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1260mgPotassium: 322mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 258IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 2mg

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