Preparing the “cúng” chicken is very important, from plucking the feathers to tying the wings and the boiling technique. Because the “cúng” chicken has its wings tied, it requires more attention during boiling to ensure a beautiful appearance, no broken skin, and still delicious when eating.
The “cúng” chicken dish is extremely important in the Vietnamese ritual, so housewives will feel extremely anxious if the “cúng” chicken is not cooked beautifully.
Choosing the “cúng” chicken
The belief of choosing a male chicken that has been eaten deeply ingrained in many people’s subconscious, so you should choose a male chicken without stepping on the female. After slaughtering, the chicken should weigh about 1.2-1.5kg, which is the most beautiful size for “cúng” without being too big or too small. After losing about 5-6 ounces of feathers, internal organs, and skin, a live chicken weighs about 2kg. For the ancestral “cúng” chicken, remember to take all the internal organs to boil together to avoid “shortages”.
Nowadays, the service of chicken meat is very convenient, so you only need to choose a chicken that is not for meat. You should choose a chicken with red comb, evenly high spur, shiny feathers, a dry beak, quick eyes, a healthy body, tight but not tense breast. The spurs should be of medium length, not long, not dark purple.
As for ready-made chicken, choose a chicken with a light natural yellow skin color, a thin layer of skin evenly throughout the body, firm meat, small fat layer in the neck and thigh.
If you cannot find someone to slaughter and tie the wings of the chicken, you can refer to the following method:
The “cúng” chicken should not be slaughtered by cutting the neck since it will look bad but should be cut by cutting a small part of the abdomen to remove the internal organs. Pay attention to cut the chicken’s anus to avoid blood congestion, and the chicken will have a dark neck. To create the wings-up position, use a sharp knife to cut both sides of the chicken’s neck, then insert the wings through these two lines towards the mouth. If you prefer the flying position, gently bend the chicken’s wings towards the back, and tie the joint of the two wings together. Avoid tying too tightly as it will cause cut marks on the wings.
Boiling technique for beautiful and delicious “cúng” chicken
Because the wings of the “cúng” chicken will not turn over during boiling, you need to prepare a wide pot to keep the chicken in the best and most beautiful shape.
Place the chicken on a plate and place it in the pot to keep the chicken in its original shape. Place a plate underneath to prevent the chicken’s abdomen from tearing.
To make the chicken delicious, you need to prepare boiling water to completely submerge the chicken. Because if the chicken is not submerged, the skin will not be evenly colored and beautiful, and to avoid turning the chicken to prevent the skin from being scratched.
Place the chicken in the pot, then pour boiling water into it and turn on the stove. Leave the water boiling so that the chicken’s skin retracts quickly, making the meat inside sweeter. To reduce the boiling, simmer the chicken in hot water at about 70 degrees Celsius, avoiding boiling water splashing up so that the chicken’s skin does not tear and the outer layer is dry while the inner layer is not cooked. Many people often put the chicken directly into cold water, but this method makes the chicken release water, making the meat dry and reducing the sweetness.
Seasonings for boiling chicken: For normal chicken, you can add roasted onions, ginger, and lime leaves to the boiling water to make the chicken fragrant. But with many families, they have dietary restrictions on onions and garlic. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the family’s beliefs to decide whether to add onions and garlic or not. If not restricted, you can roast shallots and ginger, then wash off the burnt layer from roasting, put them in the pot, add seasoning powder and monosodium glutamate to make the chicken broth more fragrant and sweet.
The chicken’s giblets should be placed together with the “cúng” chicken. But to avoid the giblets discoloring the chicken’s skin, you should boil them in a separate pot. Bring the water to a boil, then add the giblets and simmer at about 80 degrees Celsius for about 10 minutes. Remove the giblets and place them at the bottom of the plate.
The chicken is cooked in about 30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. A chicken weighing about 1.5kg should be simmered for about 30 minutes until it is fully cooked. By removing the chicken from the pot, the skin will not crack, the chicken will retain its original shape without being pierced, and the cooked meat will be tender and juicy.
Remove the chicken and create a beautiful chicken color
When the chicken is cooked, you can place it in a large bowl of ice water for it to cool quickly. If you want the chicken’s skin to have a brighter color, you can brush a layer of turmeric oil on the chicken’s skin to make it more yellow. However, when you choose a good chicken with a natural yellow skin color, it will look beautiful and taste better without the need for turmeric oil.
Making an Impact on the Taste: Comparison of Stir-Frying Ramen Noodles with or without Seasoning Packet Added First
From school cafeterias to office lunchrooms, shrimp noodle dishes are a familiar sight for many of us – especially students and busy professionals.
Netizens Discover Easy Way to Prevent Burnt Hands During Hotpot Cooking!
Netizens are in awe after an experienced hotpot reviewer shared their top tips on how to make the most of their favourite dish.
Cooking Perfect Rice without a Rice Cooker: A Guide
Struggling to make perfect rice without an electric rice cooker? Ði?n máy XANH has the perfect solution with their easy tips on how to cook delicious rice without the need for any electric gadgets!
Five Common Soup Errors that Affect its Flavor
Do you ever find yourself wondering why your homemade soups can’t compare to the delicious dishes served in restaurants? If so, these tips could help you avoid the common mistakes that can prevent your soup from tasting its best.
Unlock the Secret to Authentic Korean Kimchi with These Tips
Vietnamese people have realized the deliciousness and complexity of Korean kimchi and have been trying to re-create it at home. To make sure your homemade kimchi tastes as delicious as the real deal, here are some tips and tricks to help you make perfectly delicious kimchi.
