Beggar’s Chicken – Late post but this was one of the dishes which I made during CNY this year! A whole chicken that has been marinated in chinese wine then stuffed with lup cheong (chinese sausage), shiitake mushrooms, chestnuts, garlic, ginger and chinese preserved vegetables. The chicken is then tied and wrapped in some huuuge lotus leaves before being encased in a rough pastry (not meant to be edible) and roasted for a good 2 hours. The crust is traditionally made with clay and is not around for superfluous theatrics – it prevents the chicken from drying out and instead almost pressure-cooks it, ensuring tender and moist chicken all the time! What this bird lacks for in looks it sure makes up in flavour. The stuffing is also a great addition (some recipes dont have it) as the aromatics permeate the chicken from the inside.
