How to Choose Chicken
When choosing chicken, it is preferable to prioritize local chicken. In the case of buying live chicken, it is important to pay attention to the health condition of the chicken. Signs of a healthy chicken include shiny feathers, bright plumage, a firm body, large tongue scales, and especially bright eyes.
For local chickens that have been processed, look for one with light yellow skin and even, thin skin. When checking the chicken meat, pay attention to its elasticity, as well as the evenness of the meat and the absence of yellow fat accumulation in the neck and thighs.
Avoid choosing industrially cooked chicken, as they often provide a moist, tasteless, and flavorless experience. To ensure food quality, prioritize local or free-range chicken.
Chicken Cooking Methods
After you purchase chicken, the first step is to clean and evenly rub salt on the surface, then perform careful cleaning to ensure hygiene. If the chicken will be used in a meal, look for a female chicken as they usually have small bones, white meat, glowing yellow skin, and a sweet and fragrant taste. After cleaning the chicken, remove the fat leaves in the belly and neck of the chicken for later use, especially for frying and collecting chicken fat.
Next, place the chicken in a pot, making sure there is enough water to soak the chicken. Add dried shallots, onions, or celery root to the pot while the chicken is cooking (if you want to make chicken soup, you can also add a few slices of ginger).
Note that if you want to use the chicken broth to make soup, limit the amount of ginger, as it can affect the taste of other vegetables when cooked together.
How to Boil Tasty Chicken
Start by adding 2 tablespoons of coarse salt to the pot, so the water has a moderate taste, similar to when you cook soup. Place the pot on the stove and simmer over medium heat. When the water boils, reduce the heat to low and let the pot continue to simmer for about 10 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the chicken. Then, turn off the heat.
Before proceeding, soak the chicken in water for about 30 minutes. Then, take the chicken out and rinse it under cold water to make the chicken meat crispy and delicious. During the rinsing process, be careful to remove any residue and dirt from the chicken meat, then let the chicken meat drain.
While the chicken is cooking, you can also remove the fat from the chicken belly and neck for future use. Place the fat in a pan and heat it up. Note that when you place the fat in the pan for the first time, keep a safe distance to avoid splashing oil. Cook the fat over medium heat and reduce the heat to low to prevent burning the fat.
Why Boil Chicken with Boiling Water?
Compared to boiling chicken with cold water, boiling chicken with boiling water is more difficult. You need to adjust the appropriate timing and boil the chicken delicately. This method has the advantage of preserving the nutrients inside the chicken, making the chicken meat sweeter unlike the method of boiling chicken with cold water, which can break down the nutrients due to prolonged boiling time.
Instructions on how to boil chicken with boiling water. First, you boil the right amount of water with dried shallots, crushed ginger, and salt. Next, you dip the chicken in boiling water 2-3 times to get used to the temperature. Place the chicken in the pot so that the chicken drumsticks are below the pot as this is the part that takes the longest to cook.
How to Boil Chicken to Have a Beautiful, Golden Skin
To create a chicken skin that is shiny and attractive, you can apply the following simple steps:
First, after frying the chicken, collect about 20 – 30ml of chicken water fat and mix it with turmeric. This is a secret to make the boiled chicken skin have a shiny, attractive yellow color that creates appeal for viewers.
If you use fresh turmeric, after removing excess fat, mince a few pieces of turmeric and mix them with the chicken fat in the pan. Cook the mixture for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then turn off the heat and use this fat to brush onto the chicken.
In the case of using turmeric powder, pour turmeric powder into a small bowl or dish, then pour hot chicken fat from the pan into it and stir well. Wait for the turmeric fat to settle and concentrate, do not heat it to avoid a strong turmeric smell (compared to adding turmeric directly to the boiling pot).
After the fat has settled, use this layer of fat to brush onto the chicken. This process helps the chicken skin to have a beautiful, shiny yellow color without sacrificing the flavor balance (compared to mixing turmeric directly into the boiling pot).
To have beautifully firm chicken meat, let the chicken cool completely before proceeding. Place the chicken in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes – 1 hour before cutting it, this will make the chicken meat more pleasing when preparing. Excess chicken fat can also be extracted and used, such as stir-frying vegetables or cooking delicious chicken congee.
To have a brightly colored and smooth chicken skin after boiling, immediately soak the chicken in boiling water or cold water to cool it down. Wait until the chicken is completely cool before placing it on a plate. If you skip this step, the chicken skin may become dry and the color may not be appealing.
Finally, to make the chicken meat moist, you can take a piece of turmeric, peel it, crush it, and squeeze out the juice. Mix this turmeric water with the chicken fat that has been fried in advance, then brush it onto the chicken. The result will be a boiled chicken with a shiny, smooth, and attractive yellow skin. Good luck in cooking delicious and charming boiled chicken!
Compared to boiling chicken with cold water, boiling chicken with boiling water is more difficult. You need to adjust the appropriate timing and boil the chicken delicately. This method has the advantage of preserving the nutrients inside the chicken, making the chicken meat sweeter unlike the method of boiling chicken with cold water, which can break down the nutrients due to prolonged boiling time.
Instructions on how to boil chicken with boiling water. First, you boil the right amount of water with dried shallots, crushed ginger, and salt. Next, you dip the chicken in boiling water 2-3 times to get used to the temperature. Place the chicken in the pot so that the chicken drumsticks are below the pot as this is the part that takes the longest to cook.
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