Duck and chicken are
favorite fare in China and the Chinese have created
many interesting ways of preparing them. Drying,
smoking and curing are methods used with duck as
well as roasting, simmering, steaming and, of
course, stir-frying. Many of the same methods are
used for chicken.
Whole chickens from
Chinese specialty shops often come complete with
head and feet. The reason for this is that the beak
and feet give an indication as to the age of a
chicken - they should be pliable.
Simply cut the neck
and feet off and use in the stock pot. If using a
frozen chicken, make sure it is completely defrosted
before cooking. It will take up to 24 hours to
defrost a whole chicken in the refrigerator.
When using fresh duck,
make sure the oils sacs in the tail have been
removed before cooking. Ducks are sometimes trussed
and immersed in boiling water to remove the excess
oil that, as water birds, they have under their
skin. Always pierce the skin of a whole duck in
several places before cooking.
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