we have food at home.

~ingredients:

• 4 lb whole chicken
• 2 stalks green onion
• 5 slices ginger
• 4 quarts of water
• ginger scallion oil: 1/4 cup neutral oil, 5 stalks green onion (minced), 2 in piece of ginger (minced) 

Note: ratio of scallion/ginger is up to you! I like mine with more ginger 

~instructions: 

1. Fill a pot with 4 quarts of water, and throw in 2 stalks of green onion, and 5 slices of ginger. 
2. Let the pot come to a boil. 
3. Chicken prep while the pot is coming to a boil: Remove any innards and rinse the cavity, pat dry. Use a knife to pierce the skin at the neck, right above the breasts. This is important to let the water pass through the cavity once it is lowered into the pot. 
4. Once the pot is at a boil, grab your chicken by the neck and lower the whole chicken into the pot of water. Lower and lift a few times. This method will tighten the skin and also allow the boiling water to pass through the cavity. 
5. Fully submerge the chicken and let it come back up to a boil. 
6. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. 
7. At this point, let the chicken poach for 40 minutes (10 minutes per pound). HOWEVER – stoves can vary so I recommend checking at the 30 minutes mark and poke a chopstick into the leg. If the juices run clear, it’s done. If juices are still red, it’ll prob need another 5-10 minutes. 
8. While the chicken is cooking, prep your ginger scallion oil! Mince ginger and scallion and mix in a HEAT-SAFE bowl. 
9. Heat up oil in a hot pan and once it is hot enough (350°F), carefully pour into the HEAT-SAFE bowl. 
   • Note: If you do not have a heat-safe bowl, you can always do this in a small sauce pan but work fast, this cooks quickly within 20 seconds before you risk burning it. 
10. Add in salt and sesame oil to the ginger scallion oil and mix. Taste test and season to taste. 
11. When the chicken is ready, prepare an ice bath and dunk the chicken in. This will stop it from cooking and also tighten the skin, giving it a chewier texture. 
12. To prepare the chicken, use a cleaver: chop off the head and neck, then the thighs, the wings, the breast, and the back. 
    • Note: I recommend looking up a more in-depth tutorial online on how to chop a chicken the chinese way. These instructions are not the best as this is something I haven’t mastered myself yet 😅 
13. Serve with the ginger scallion sauce and eat over rice, enjoy!