Gà luộc lá chanh
Poached chicken with lime leaves
Gà luộc lá chanh: northern poached chicken with shredded lime leaves and salt-pepper-lime dip
No northern Vietnamese ancestor altar at Tết or on a death anniversary is complete without a whole golden poached chicken, and once it comes down from the altar it is chopped and eaten with hair-thin shreds of lime leaf and a dip of salt, pepper and lime. The skin is taut and yellow, the meat juicy, and the broth goes on to make miến or cháo. Buy a chicken without its head and feet. Chef's tip: plunge the bird into iced water as soon as it is cooked; skip the ice bath and the skin wrinkles, loosens and loses its shine.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 3 ⅓ lb whole chickenhead and feet removed
- 1 ⅜ oz fresh gingersliced and bruised
- 3 shallotshalved
- 1 tbsp salt
- ½ tsp ground turmeric (optional)for a golden skin
- 15 makrut lime leavescentral vein removed, shredded hair-thin
For the dip
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 1 limecut into wedges
- 1 red chilli (optional)sliced
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 3 ⅓ lb whole chicken inside and out with 1 tsp of ⅓ tbsp salt, rinse and pat dry. Truss the legs with string so it cooks evenly.
5 minStep 2: Put the chicken breast down in a pot just big enough to hold it, add 1 ⅜ oz fresh ginger, 3 shallots, the rest of ⅔ tbsp salt, ½ tsp ground turmeric and cold water to cover by 2 cm. Bring slowly to a simmer over a medium heat, skimming off the foam.
15 minStep 3: Turn the heat to the lowest setting so the water barely trembles, cover and poach for 25 minutes.
25 minStep 4: Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for 10 minutes, then check the thickest part of the thigh: it must read 165°F and the juices must run clear. If not, simmer gently for 5 minutes more and check again.
10 minStep 5: Lift the chicken into a large bowl of iced water for 5 minutes so the skin tightens and shines. Keep the broth for soup.
5 minStep 6: Mix 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp black pepper in a saucer, squeeze in 1 lime and add 1 red chilli.
1 minStep 7: Chop the chicken through the bone into pieces, arrange on a platter and scatter thickly with 15 makrut lime leaves. Serve with the dip and steamed rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gà luộc lá chanh take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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