Preliminary cleaning and shaping chicken before boiling
To make the chicken after boiling have a beautiful shape and not smelly, the preliminary processing stage is extremely important. You use granulated salt combined with a little vinegar or lemon to rub evenly on the chicken skin surface to remove oily glands and dirt, then wash it off many times with clean water. If it is a worship chicken, you should use bamboo strings to tie it to create a "flying chicken" or "fairy chicken" shape before putting it in the pot so that when cooked, the chicken maintains its standard shape and does not contract muscles.
Boiling technique from cold water and accurate timing
A common mistake is to put the chicken in when the water has boiled, which causes the chicken skin to suddenly shrink and crack. You need to put the chicken in the pot as soon as the water is still cold, turn the chicken's belly down and pour water to cover the chicken's body. Add a few dried shallots, crushed ginger and a little seasoning to make the chicken fragrant, sweet and rich. Boil over medium heat until the water boils, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, boil for about 15-20 minutes and then turn off the heat, continue to soak the chicken in the pot for another 15 minutes to cook the meat evenly from the inside.
Secrets to soaking in ice water and smearing turmeric juice to create a golden color
This is the "golden key" to making chicken skin crispy and charred and have eye-catching colors like in restaurants. Immediately after taking the chicken out of the pot of boiling water, put it in a large basin of cold ice water mixed with a few slices of lemon. This hot process helps the chicken skin shrink immediately, creating a characteristic crispness. When the chicken has completely cooled, take it out and let it drain completely. Finally, crush a fresh turmeric root, squeeze out the juice and mix well with a little fried chicken fat, use a brush to gently apply a thin layer all over the skin surface. Your chicken dish will wear a golden, plump, and extremely attractive coat.
