It's a famous traditional dish in the Qingcheng Mountain region not far from Chengdu. Besides the fame as " the best peaceful place under heaven, " Qingcheng Mountain is also well-know for its tea, Yangtao wine, pickled vegetables and braised chicken with ginkgoes. Legend has it that a Taoist priest created the dish. In the mountain there is a ginkgo tree with a history of 500 years bearing big and solid fruit. The taoist priest used the ginkgoes as an ingredient to braise chicken, which cured a person who was thought to be incurably ill. This got around and won fame for the dish in Chengdu and throughout the province. The dish has gradually become a local specialty featuring light yellow color, tender and fresh meat, white and fragrant broth, and slightly sweet ginkgoes.
Ingredients:
a young hen (1250g), ginkgoes 250g, Shaoxin rice wine 30g, ginger slices 15g, salt 10g.
Preparation:
1. Process the chicken and remove viscera. Wash clean. Cut open along the backbone. Put in cold water and heat until boiling. Take out and wash clean.
2. Break ginkgoes and scald in boiling water. Take out and shell.
3. Put the chicken in wok. Add enough water to submerge it. Add ginger slices and rice wine. Cover and braise for 30 minutes so that the chicken is half done and the broth thickens. Then transfer to a big casserole. Add ginkgoes and salt. Cover and stew with low heat for about 15 minutes. Then transfer the well-done chicken with thick soup to a big, round soup bowl. Place the chicken on back with ginkgoes around. Then serve.
Editor: Shi Liwei
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