Hakka Yim Kuk Kai (Salt Baked Chicken)

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups Royal Umbrella Thai Hom Mali Rice
• 3 cups hot water
• 1 chicken (approx. 1.5kg)
• 2 tbsp roasted shā jiāng fěn coarse salt (2 tbsp coarse salt roasted with 1 tsp shā jiāng powder)
• 2 tbsp Golden Circle Vegetable oil                            
• 4 tbsp Shaoxing Chinese wine            
• 1 stalk crushed spring onion 
• A teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 cup of clear chicken broth (For steaming)

Marinate the chicken:

1. Combine the Shao Hsing wine, crushed spring onion and minced ginger in a bowl and set aside.
2. Wash and pat dry the cleaned chicken with paper towels.
3. Rub the roasted shā jiāng coarse salt mix onto the chicken. Ensure to the whole chicken is evenly coated, including the folds and joints.
4. Coat the whole salt rubbed chicken with the wine mixture.
5. Rub in the cooking oil and let the seasoned chicken (uncovered) rest in a cool, airy place (until the skin is dry to the touch) for about 2 hours.

COOKING DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the inner rice pot for about 5 minutes. 
2. Seal the seasoned chicken with the chicken breast side facing upward and place it in the rice cooker.
3. Pour the chicken broth over the chicken and select “STEAMING’ mode (or rice cooking mode) and steam chicken for about 20-25 minutes. 

Cooking Rice:

Wash and rinse one time for the Royal Umbrella Thai Hom Mali Rice. Soak the rice for 10 minutes. Set as normal rice cooker mode and cook.