Recipe for Chinese Salt Buried Chicken

Here is another salty recipe.  It’s a traditional way of cooking in China and strangely is really delicious, even though it sounds far to salty.  While it seems a waste of salt, you can re-use the salt for similar meals – perhaps cook this first then the salt buried red snapper later. 

• 1.5kg                Whole chicken
• 1½tbsp            Fruit-flavoured brandy
• 1½tbsp            Soy sauce
• 4 slices             Fresh ginger
• 1                        Large onion, finely sliced
• 1tbsp                Steenbergs China 5 spice powder
• 2.75kg              Coarse sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180^oC.
2. Mix together the brandy and soy sauce and use this to rub the chicken inside and outside.  Mix together the ginger, onion and China 5 spice and place this inside the chicken.  Leave to stand in a cool, well ventilated place for 2 hours to dry out.
3. Place the salt in a deep casserole dish and warm it through in the oven, stirring it once or twice to ensure that it is evenly heated through.  Make a well in the salt and bury the chicken, covering it completely.  Cover the casserole and warm it over a low heat for 10 minutes to warm through.  Transfer it into the preheated oven and cook for 1½ hours.
4. To serve, lift the chicken out of the casserole and brush it free of salt.  Chop it through the bone into 20 pieces and arrange on a double platter.  Serve hot, with rice or noodles, together with stir-fried vegetables.