Cantonese cuisine is one of the eight great culinary traditions of China and refers to the food of Guangdong province. Many people are very fond of Cantonese cuisine, and many of its dishes are immensely popular worldwide. Cantonese cuisine can not only be enjoyed in restaurants but also prepared at home. Today, the editor will introduce three classic Cantonese recipes that are common household dishes.
White Cut Chicken
White Cut Imperial Concubine Chicken
Characteristics: A famous Cantonese dish. Made with Imperial Concubine Chicken, the meat is fresh and delicious, and the preparation method is unique. It is served with dipping sauce.
Method
1. Clean the chicken thoroughly, drain the water, and rub salt all over the inside and outside of the chicken. Marinate for one to two hours. Place scallions, shallots, and ginger slices inside the chicken cavity.
2. Prepare the broth for poaching the chicken: Place scallops, ham slices, water chestnuts, carrots, chicken stock, dried tangerine peel, and ginger slices in a pot of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about two hours to allow the ingredients to fully release their flavors.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove the aromatics from the marinated chicken. Briefly dip the chicken in the boiling water, ensuring the cavity is fully submerged. Lift the chicken out and let the cavity water drain. Repeat this process three times. This step removes any gamey flavor and partially cooks the chicken.
4. Reheat the chicken broth. Place the whole chicken in the pot, ensuring the cavity is completely filled and the broth covers the chicken. Bring back to a boil over high heat, then immediately turn off the heat. Cover the pot and let it steep for 13-20 minutes, depending on the size and freshness of the chicken (fresh or frozen) to determine the poaching time.
5. Remove the chicken and place it on a platter. Drizzle the chicken with Shaoxing wine and some of the original broth. Evenly brush sesame oil over the chicken and let it cool before cutting into pieces.
6. The delicious White Cut Chicken is ready. As the saying goes, "seven parts chicken flavor, three parts sauce," so you can choose different dipping sauces. The ultimate perfection of tender and smooth White Cut Chicken is to have a slight pink tinge near the bone, with the meat being exceptionally tender and succulent.
Guangzhou Wenchang Chicken
Characteristics: This dish features Hainan's Wenchang chicken as the main ingredient, paired with ham, chicken liver, and greens. It is prepared through boiling, steaming, and stir-frying. The dish is beautifully presented with a glossy sauce.
Method
1. Clean and prepare the chicken. Place it in a pot of simmering "second broth" (a lighter chicken stock) and poach over low heat for about 15 minutes until just cooked. Remove, let it cool, then debone the meat and slice it diagonally into 24 long, rectangular pieces.
2. While the chicken is poaching, clean the chicken liver, place it in a bowl, and cover with boiling water. Add 3.5 grams of salt and poach until just cooked. Remove and slice into 24 pieces. Place in a bowl. Also, slice the ham into 24 pieces of the same size as the chicken slices.
3. Arrange the chicken slices, ham slices, and chicken liver slices in an alternating pattern on a platter, creating a fish-scale scale pattern. Arrange the chicken head, wings, and tail to resemble the shape of a whole chicken. Steam in a steamer over low heat until heated through, then remove and drain any excess liquid.
White pheasant