Ingredients for steamed chicken without water
– 1.5 – 1.6 kg chicken
– 8 – 10 kaffir lime leaves
– 4 lemongrass stalks
– 4 dried shallots
– 2 spring onions
– 1 piece of ginger
– 1 small turmeric rhizome
Seasonings: Salt, chicken stock powder, pepper, white wine
Steps to steam chicken without water
Step 1: First, you need to clean the chicken and rub it with lime and salt or white wine, ginger to eliminate odors, then rinse thoroughly. For the chicken’s crop, it is recommended to remove the gland fluid as it is not good for health according to many studies.
Step 2: Next, cut the lemongrass into pieces and pound it, slice the spring onions into segments, slice half of the ginger, and pound the other half to marinate the chicken. Dice the shallots. For the turmeric, slice or pound it to spread on the chicken to create a beautiful yellow color. Rinse the kaffir lime leaves, lightly bruise them to release the essential oil.
Step 3: For the fresh turmeric, grate or finely chop it, put on gloves and spread evenly to create a beautiful yellow color for the chicken, and prevent any strong smell after steaming. Mix the seasoning mixture including 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of chicken stock powder, 1 teaspoon of pepper, a little white wine, ginger, and diced shallots. Rub the mixture evenly on both the inside and outside of the chicken to enhance the flavor.
Step 4: Then, line the pounded lemongrass, spring onions, sliced ginger, and kaffir lime leaves at the bottom of the pot. When putting them in the pot, you should make a thick layer to avoid the chicken touching the pot, which may cause it to burn while steaming. Depending on personal preference, you can adjust this layer, some people like to steam with Artemisia leaves underneath. Also, choose a thick pot to retain heat well and prevent sticking. If not available, you can use an electric rice cooker.
Step 5: Turn on the stove until you see the steam and smell the aroma of lemongrass, ginger, and spring onions, then reduce the heat to the lowest and steam gently, covering tightly. During the steaming process, the chicken will release its own juices, combined with the water from the spring onions and seasonings, creating enough heat to cook the chicken without the need for additional water.
Note: During steaming, every 10 minutes, increase the heat to make the temperature rise and then lower the heat. For a chicken weighing about 1.5 – 1.6 kg, it takes about 30 – 35 minutes to cook. Test by poking a bamboo skewer or small chopstick into the thigh, if there is no pink liquid running out, it’s done. You will see that steamed chicken without water will result in a more flavorful and delicious chicken with tender meat.
Final result: Crispy and golden skin, juicy and moist meat, with the aroma of spring onions, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and a well-balanced taste.
