Frozen Jinzhong Chicken
Ingredients:
- 1 tender hen, about 1250 grams
- 10 grams of shredded green onions
- 10 grams of ginger slices
- 5 grams of gelatin
- 15 grams of fish gelatin sheets
- 10 grams of salt
- 6 grams of monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- 2 eggs
- 2.5 grams of Shaoxing wine
- 25 grams of cooked lean ham
- 500 grams of chicken broth
- 10 grams of rendered chicken fat
- 25 grams of fresh cilantro
- 24 canned green peas
Cooking Method:
- Clean and slaughter the chicken, then air-dry it. Rub the inside cavity of the chicken with 5 grams of salt and Shaoxing wine. Place ginger and green onions inside the cavity, then transfer the chicken to a clay pot. Crack the eggs into a bowl and cover with water. Place fish gelatin sheets, gelatin, chicken broth, and MSG into a steaming pot. Steam over medium heat for about 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the gelatin has dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Strain the fish gelatin and gelatin through a clean cheesecloth. Cool the chicken eggs in cold water, remove the shells, and only use the egg whites, cutting them into 24 pieces, each 1 cm square. Once the chicken has cooled, remove the meat and cut a portion into 24 pieces, each 1 cm square, and the rest into pieces measuring 0.4 cm square. Cut the ham into 24 slices, each 1 cm square.
- Take 24 small tea cups, wipe them clean, and brush the insides lightly with chicken fat. Place one green pea at the bottom of each cup, followed by cilantro leaves, egg whites, ham, and chicken meat, one of each, evenly spaced apart. Arrange the chicken skin and cilantro leaves facing the cup walls. Add the remaining chicken meat pieces as needed. Finally, pour the fish gelatin and gelatin mixture into each cup until level with the cup rim. Let it cool, then refrigerate. Serve by overturning onto a plate.
Key Techniques:
Frozen Jinzhong Chicken is a famous cold dish from Chaoshan cuisine, known for its beautiful appearance and fresh taste. It requires meticulous preparation according to the specified techniques.
Flavor Characteristics:
Frozen Jinzhong Chicken is a specialty of Chaoshan cuisine, made with gelatin, fish gelatin, and chicken meat. Gelatin, also known as “agar,” and fish gelatin are both used here. When boiled in water and cooled, they solidify into a transparent solid, enhancing the dish’s visual appeal. The texture is smooth and melts in the mouth, complementing the dish’s delicate flavors.
