Step 1

Wash the green onions and tie it into a knot and set aside

Step 2

Cut the shallot in half and cut 2 slices of ginger. Set aside

Step 3

Blanche the Chinese sausage for 30 seconds in boiling water. Remove from water and set aside

Step 4

Take 1 tbsp of course salt and rub it over the chicken skin and the inside cavity, like you’re exfoliating it. Then submerse in large mixing bowl to rinse off salt.

Step 5

Cut off the nails on the chicken feet with a knife or kitchen shears

Step 6

Bend and fold the chicken feet into the cavity of the chicken to keep the cavity open as wide as possible.

Step 7

Sit the chicken with the cavity down in a colander to drain all the water and air-dry the skin for 60 minutes. I find that drying it with a paper towel doesn’t dry it enough. If you’re in a hurry, I suggest drying it with a hairdryer for a few minutes This is a crucial step for achieving moist meat and the perfect skin

Step 8

Combine one package of the Spicy Bake Mix with ½ tsp of turmeric powder the purpose of the turmeric is to add a yellow colour to the chicken

Step 9

Rub the combined powders onto the skin of the chicken as well as inside the cavity If the skin of your chicken is so dry that the powders won’t stick to the chicken, make a paste with the powder using 1-2 tbsp of water or Shaoxing wine and then rub it on the chicken. An FAQ that I get is, “why don’t you marinade the chicken before letting it air-dry?” I find that the chicken will lose some of its juices and natural flavours if marinated for over 15 minutes, but this is my personal preference.

Step 10

Put the knotted green onions, shallot, ginger and Chinese sausage into the cavity of the chicken The oil from the Chinese sausage will help flavour the chicken as well as keep the chicken moist

Step 11

Rub 2 tbsp of oil onto the outside of the chicken This will prevent the skin from breaking and to help keep the flavour on the chicken

Step 12

Place the chicken, breast side down, onto a steaming dish and prepare the steamer on high heat Use a steaming plate with a higher lip because you’ll likely get a good amount of juice from the chicken and steam water. Save the juice from the steaming plate to make a sauce or for noodles

Step 13

When the water in the steamer boils, put the chicken into the steamer

Step 14

Steam on high heat for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and steam for another 30 minutes. This is for a 4 lb or 1800g chicken. Refer to above reference guide for other weights

Step 15

After total steaming time of 45 minutes, check the chicken for doneness. Insert a chopstick or toothpick into the thickest part of the chicken, like the thigh meat, and pull it out. If the juice that flows out is clear, then your chicken is done. If you see some red or pink, then steam for another 5 to 10 minutes and check again.

Step 16

Once your chicken is done, remove the lid and let the chicken rest either in or out of the steamer for 15 minutes

Step 17

After 15 minutes, transfer the chicken from the steaming plate to a dry one

Step 18

If you are chopping up the chicken, it would be best to chop it up when it has cooled I chopped the one in the picture after 30 minutes and it was still a bit warm

Step 19

You can also debone it to make a hand shredded chicken

Step 20

Serve and enjoy!