Chicken Oil Rice

Chicken Oil Rice

　　The people of Xuwen raise chickens, love eating chicken, and know how to enjoy chicken, which is why chicken oil rice came into being.

　　The most distinctive feature of banquets in Xuwen is that no feast is complete without chicken. Chickens are slaughtered during festivals, on birthdays, at weddings, and when entertaining guests. But first and foremost, the chicken must be a good one.

　　The quality of the chicken stems from the Xuwen people’s expertise in raising them. Both urban and rural residents in Xuwen raise and feed their own chickens—some are kept in pens, such as capon chickens; some are free-range, like young hens and roosters; others are let loose in fields, woods, and bamboo groves. These chickens are of superior quality, with tender meat, smooth skin, and crispy bones. Why? Because they are fed entirely on natural feed, such as grass seeds, bamboo seeds, insects, ants, and rice bran. There is one type of chicken that likes to perch on tree branches at night—this kind may be the best breed. Xuwen chickens must be raised for a certain period before they are ready to eat. Common backyard chickens, like young hens, should be raised for at least half a year, while capon chickens benefit from longer raising periods—the older the capon, the better. An old capon can be considered the finest among chickens.

　　The people of Xuwen take great care in slaughtering chickens—they must see red, and chicken blood must be retained. If you eat chicken without seeing the blood, the flavor is diminished by half. When cooking the chicken, stuff some sand ginger, minced garlic, and salt inside the cavity. Moreover, the chicken should be scalded in lukewarm water—not boiling. Water that’s too hot will result in poor color and cracked skin. After cooking, lift the chicken and let it cool slightly. If you chop it up right after placing it on the cutting board while it’s still hot, the aroma will lessen somewhat.

　　Once the chicken is cooked, cook the rice with the chicken broth—this is especially crucial. The amount of broth must be just right; this ensures the chicken rice grains remain intact, not overly sticky, crystal clear, and deliciously fragrant, leaving a lingering taste on your teeth that makes it hard to stop eating. Then, when you add a piece of chicken to the rice, it’s simply divine. Sometimes, when the chicken rice is particularly good, you might end up eating two or three bowls in a row without even needing a side dish.

　　I became addicted to chicken soup rice in my youthful days, back in the early 1950s. At that time, in a small county town, the chicken served in restaurants didn’t taste very good. What was most memorable were the street vendors carrying chicken rice around. They had a shoulder pole with a small table on one end. On the table hung boiled chicken, with a base underneath, surrounded by condiments. The chicken rice and chicken soup were stored in small cedarwood barrels under the counter. The other end of the pole held a washing bucket and a small wooden stool (which could also serve as a dining surface). The chicken rice vendor didn’t need to shout to attract customers—just the aroma would let everyone know they were coming. Passersby would gather at the roadside and eat there on the spot. My goodness—what a way to eat. As a child, watching them eat chicken soup rice made my mouth water. Sometimes I’d beg my parents to let me try it, but I never felt fully satisfied. I always thought that the chicken soup rice from those vendors was much better than what we made at home. Nowadays, you couldn’t find those original chicken soup rice stalls even if you searched with a lantern. So every time I eat chicken soup rice, I’m reminded of those long-gone street-side meals.

　　In addition to chicken soup rice, the people of Xuwen also enjoy duck soup rice, goose soup rice, and even dog soup rice—all of which have become trendy, growing more popular and more impressive with time. (Text by Wu Kai)