Lijiang Steam Pot Chicken

Lijiang Steam Pot Chicken

　　Steam Pot Chicken is one of Yunnan’s famous dishes, having been popular among the people in southern Yunnan for over 2,000 years. Jianshui produces a unique type of earthenware steamer called a "steam pot," which is specifically designed for steaming food. The method for making Steam Pot Chicken involves cleaning a young chicken, cutting it into small pieces, and placing them in the steam pot along with ginger, salt, scallions, and tsao-ko. The pot is then covered and placed over a soup pot filled with water. The gaps are sealed with a cloth to prevent steam from escaping, and the setup is placed over a fire to cook. Once the water in the soup pot boils, the steam rises through a central nozzle in the steam pot, gradually cooking the chicken (usually taking about 3 to 4 hours). Since the juices are formed from condensed steam, the chicken’s flavor is largely preserved during the steaming process, maintaining its original taste. This dish has earned praise from diners. If precious Yunnan medicinal herbs such as “Sanqi,” “Cordyceps,” or “Gastrodia elata” are added to the steam pot, it is called Sanqi Steam Pot Chicken, Cordyceps Steam Pot Chicken, or Gastrodia elata Steam Pot Chicken, respectively. These variations not only enhance the nutritional value and provide tonic benefits but also help with conditions like physical weakness, dizziness, and fatigue, and can even treat coronary heart disease and neurasthenia.

　　Preparation Process

　　Steam Pot Chicken gets its name from being steamed in a steam pot. The purple clay steam pots produced in Jianshui, south of Kunming, are made from local red, yellow, blue, purple, and white clay, and are known for being “purple-copper in color, resonant as a chime, smooth as a mirror, and never fading.” During production, artisans first soak the five-colored clay in water, stir it into a slurry, then filter it into greenish-red clay. After forming the clay base, patterns such as landscapes and flowers are painted on, followed by carving and embedding other colored clays. The piece is then fired and polished with stone tools to create a seamless finish with clear designs. Well-used steam pots become mirror-like and resemble simple yet elegant folk crafts.

　　When making Steam Pot Chicken, chicken pieces are first placed in the pot, followed by seasonings, and then set into a larger sandpot filled with water. The lid is sealed tightly. The mixture is steamed over high heat for about four hours. During this time, steam continuously jets up from a central pipe at the bottom of the steam pot. This both cooks the chicken and condenses inside the pot to form broth. As a result, the chicken comes out tender with bones falling apart, the soup is rich and the meat is delicate, best preserving the original flavor and nutrients of the chicken.

　　Yunnan is rich in medicinal herbs, and locals often add certain herbs when steaming Steam Pot Chicken. For example, Cordyceps, produced in alpine meadows, is a fungus in winter and grass in summer, rich in cordycepic acid, vitamins, and protein. It can treat tuberculosis, lung qi deficiency, and dual lung-kidney deficiency, and is also effective against kidney weakness, back pain, and more—thus earning a reputation alongside ginseng and deer antler. Sanqi is believed by the medical community to have benefits for treating coronary heart disease, fighting cancer, and boosting energy. Gastrodia elata, meanwhile, is notably effective for headaches, dizziness, limb twitching, spasms, and rheumatic pain. Therefore, when making Steam Pot Chicken, people often tailor the herbs to specific health needs, adding appropriate amounts of Cordyceps, Sanqi, Gastrodia elata, etc., to nourish the body, prevent illness, and prolong life.

　　Preparation Method

　　To make “Sanqi,” “Cordyceps,” or “Gastrodia elata” Steam Pot Chicken, it’s essential to master the preparation and usage of the medicinal ingredients. Sanqi is a premium medicinal herb unique to Yunnan, with active components similar to ginseng. It not only has tonic effects but also shows good efficacy against coronary heart disease. The way to enjoy Sanqi Steam Pot Chicken is to fry the Sanqi in oil, grind it into a fine powder, and consume it with the steam pot chicken broth—this method yields the most noticeable effects. Alternatively, when the chicken is cooked, a suitable amount of prepared Sanqi powder can be added to the broth before serving. Cordyceps is another premium medicinal herb from Yunnan. To use it in Steam Pot Chicken, first rinse it clean and dry it, then lightly fry it in oil before placing it in the steam pot to cook with the chicken. The taste is fragrant with a sweet aftertaste, and it benefits the body by nourishing lungs and kidneys, treating consumptive coughs and blood deficiency in the elderly. Steam Pot Chicken can also be combined with other tonic herbs like Gastrodia elata and Chinese yam to create various health-enhancing dishes.

　　Detailed Preparation Process: Ingredients: One live plump chicken (about 2000g), 15g fine salt, 30g each of ginger and scallions, 2g MSG, 3g pepper.

　　Method: 1. Slaughter the chicken, remove feathers and internal organs, clean it, and cut it into 4cm cubes. Rinse to remove blood, drain the water; slice the scallions; slice the ginger and slightly crush it with a knife.

　　2. Place the chicken cubes into the steam pot, add fine salt, scallions, and ginger, cover, and place it on top of an earthenware pot containing 5000g of water, sealing the joint tightly.

　　3. Boil the water in the earthenware pot over high heat so that steam rises through the central pipe into the steam pot. Steam until the chicken is tender. Remove the scallion slices and ginger, add MSG and pepper. When serving, place the steam pot on a tray and bring it to the table.