Salt-baked Chicken (Yim Kok Kai)

Salt-baked Chicken (Yim Kok Kai) is another famous food in Ipoh. It has its origins in the Hakka community.


Recipe

1 kg organic or free-range chicken, washed and patted dry

marinade

1 tbsp ginger juice

1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

½ tsp ground white pepper

1 tsp sugar

stuffing

20g codonopsis root (dong sum)

10g angelica root (dong quai)

1 tbsp wolfberries (kei chi)

15g Solomon’s seal (yok chok)

2 pieces greaseproof paper measuring 60x30cm

1 tbsp potato flour, mixed into a gum paste with a little hot water

3.5 kg coarse rock salt

Combine the marinade ingredients; rub or coat chicken with the marinade. Wash the stuffing ingredients and place into the cavity of the bird.

Set the chicken on the two pieces of parchment paper for a double-layer wrap. Fold the paper, overlapping, around the chicken to form a parcel. Seal with the gum paste to form a water-tight parcel.

Place the rock salt into an old wok. Heat salt over medium flame, stirring continuously for five to eight minutes. Make a well in the middle of the hot salt, place the chicken parcel in, and cover completely with salt. Cook, covered with a lid, over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes. Turn chicken over once halfway through the cooking time, making sure no juices spill out. Remove and serve warm.


Source: The Star