Chestnut stewed chicken or duck

Chestnut stewed chicken or duck

　　Chestnut stewed chicken or duck

　　This is a specialty of western Hunan. In September during the Double Ninth Festival, it’s the season to harvest chestnuts. The collected chestnuts—chosen for their large size and freedom from pests or disease—are dried on the beams of airy, sunlit rooms. At this time, the meat of a slaughtered hen (or duck) is cut into pieces, and after the chestnuts are boiled, they are mixed with stir-fried chicken (or duck) meat and braised together, resulting in an incredibly flavorful dish that fills the house with aroma. This is a rare and unique recipe from the local Tujia and Miao villages.