Chicken Smothered in Rock Salt
Chinese
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 5-pound dressed roaster sized chicken (must be fresh, wet picked)
1/2 teaspoon Chinese Rose Liquer or any brand of gin
1 cup water
1 teaspoon minced giner root
2 teaspoons Cantonese Salt
1/2 teaspoon chopped Chinese parsley
1 green onion, flatted (optional)
10 pounds rock salt

COOKING METHOD

Hang chicken in cool place to drain and wipe dry with absorbent toweling

Combine 1/2 teaspoon Chinese Rose Liquer or gin, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon minced ginger root, 2 teaspoon Cantonese Salt, 1/2 teaspoon chopped Chinese parsley, optional 1 green onion (flattend).

Tie neck of chicken with string and fill cavity with the above marinade. Sew up tightly all openings of the bird so that no liquid will leak out.

In a huge pot, place 10 pounds rock salt

At high heat, stir occasionally and mix rock salt until red hot. 30 or 40 minutes will suffice. Make a deep impression in the center, place chicken in it, making sure there is at least 3 inches of salt bedding underneath. Cover pot tightly, cook over low heat 30 minutes.

Remove chicken from pot, cut the strings, and drain the cavity marinade into a pot. Keep it hot over a low fire until ready to place in a gravy boat. Cut and serve as in Simmered Whole Chocken (Bot Chit Gai) recipe.

NOTES

When we were children, it was an adventure to cook stolen potatoes smothered in coals, and we still find the same spirit of adventure in cooking a chicken, Chinese style, smothered in this manner. Though literally "baked" in salt, the chicken is moist and flavorful.