Local Flavor International

Steamed Chicken with Scallions and Ginger

Name: Steamed Chicken with Scallions and Ginger
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: Two 4-pound chickens; 6 cups sake; 1 cup soy sauce; 1 cup mirin; 1/4 cup rice vinegar; 1/2 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger plus 12 thin slices of fresh ginger; 3 garlic cloves, halved; 1 onion, chopped; 1/3 cup sake; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 3 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar; 2 tablespoons sugar; 3 thin slices of garlic; 2 scallions, minced (3 tablespoons); 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger; Hot sesame oil

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This is the dish to make when you get a fresh, natural chicken at the farmers market and you really want to show off its flavor.

By

Andrew Zimmern

Updated on January 30, 2023

Steamed Chicken with Scallions and Ginger — Photo: © Kate N.G. Sommers

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs

Yield:

8

I use heritage chicken breeds and the results are stellar. It’s a take on the classic Malay-style Hainanese Chicken Rice dish, but it’s served a little differently. Frequently, I make the rice that accompanies this meal but most often it’s too much trouble on a school night at home, so I serve this with plain streamed sticky rice and a nice green vegetable, and there are never any leftovers. Don’t be fooled: This recipe is simple, but the flavors are complex. — Andrew Zimmern

Ingredients

chicken

Two 4-pound chickens
6 cups sake
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup mirin
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger plus 12 thin slices of fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, halved
1 onion, chopped

dipping sauce

1/3 cup sake
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
3 thin slices of garlic
2 scallions, minced (3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Hot sesame oil

Directions

prepare the chickens

Put each chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk 4 cups of the sake with the soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, chopped ginger and garlic. Divide the marinade between the two bags; press out the air and seal the bags. Turn to coat the chickens thoroughly. Refrigerate the chickens for 24 hours.

meanwhile, make the dipping sauce

In a medium bowl, combine the sake, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, scallions and ginger. Season with the hot sesame oil.
Set a steamer rack inside a pot large enough to hold the chickens. Add 6 cups of water to the pot along with the sliced ginger, chopped onion and remaining 2 cups of sake. Bring to a boil. Carefully set the chickens on the rack, cover and steam until cooked through, 60 to 70 minutes. Transfer the chickens to a cutting board or a platter and let rest for 20 minutes.
Carve each chicken into 8 pieces and serve with the dipping sauce.