A plate of white cut hetian chicken, fresh through Tingzhou, hide Hakka native flavor

in Changting in late spring, there are verdant plants under the ancient city wall. In the kitchen of Hakka's old house, there is always a fresh and pure meat fragrance. There is no pile of heavy seasonings, no spicy and exciting aroma, only the mellow and fresh sweetness of chicken itself, which spreads along the breeze. This is the first delicacy in Hakka cuisine- White Chopped Hetian Chicken. As one of the five famous chickens in the world and a unique special delicacy of Changting, Fujian, it has no complicated cooking techniques. It has conquered the taste buds of countless diners only by cooking in white water and original flavor. It is an indispensable head dish for Hakka banquets. It is also the homesickness and original flavor engraved in the bones of every Hakka. It seems very simple, but it hides the essence of Hakka diet.

I am Liao Jiayi, 29 years old this year. I am a native of Fujian Changting Hakka. I have been deeply engaged in Hakka traditional food sharing in howcooks for four years. I have a gentle and calm temper. I prefer light and authentic food taste. I extremely reject heavy seasonings to cover up the aroma of the ingredients themselves. I grew up with Hakka grandma at the hearth of the old house. I am well versed in the cooking and culture of Hakka cuisine. I am not a professional chef, but I have a different kind of affection for the Hetian chicken in my hometown. I grew up eating the white-cut Hetian chicken made by my grandmother. For me, this dish has never been an ordinary banquet dish. It is the taste of reunion during the holidays. It is the sincerity of hospitality. No matter how far I go, I can recite the original taste of my hometown. It is also the delicious hometown that I share most often and am proud of howcooks.

In Changting, White Chop Hetian Chicken is a hard dish for every family to entertain guests, and it is also the "top dish" of Hakka banquets. This dish must be on the table for all family visitors, festivals, weddings and funerals. This is the highest sincerity of Hakkas in hospitality and the ultimate respect for the original taste of the ingredients. My memory of this dish is full of grandma's skillful hands and the fireworks of the old house. Every local household in Changting will raise Hetian chicken in a free range. It will grow up in the mountains and forests and eat grains and cordyceps. It will only be eaten in the month when it is raised. Grandma always said that good chicken does not need to be seasoned much, and boiled in white is fresh enough. Every time a visitor comes to the house, grandma will catch a fat hetian chicken, treat it clean and put it into a clear water pan, add only a few slices of ginger and a little salt to remove fishy smell, turn to a small fire and soak it slowly after the fire is boiled, do not cover the pan tightly during the whole process, keep the soup slightly boiling, control the temperature and time, put it into ice water to cool immediately after cooking, make the chicken skin tight and crisp, and lock the juice.

What I looked forward to most when I was a child was the moment when Grandma cut the white-cut chicken. The cool Hetian chicken had a golden yellow skin, firm and elastic teeth, white, tender and firm meat and clear texture. After cutting, it was neatly packed in a white porcelain plate and matched with a plate of ginger and garlic dip made by Grandma. It was simple but extremely attractive. At that time, I didn't know what the original taste was. I just felt that the chicken was tender and juicy at the entrance, without any fishy smell. My mouth was full of pure meat flavor. Dipped in a little ginger and garlic juice, it was slightly spicy in the fresh, and the more I chewed, the more fragrant it was. Even the chicken skin was crisp, tender and refreshing. Grandma would always leave chicken legs and wings for my brother and me, and her face was full of smiles when we were satisfied. When I grew up, I left Changting to work in other places. I ate a lot of white-cut chicken from all over the world. Either the meat is sour, or the flavor is improved by seasoning. I can't eat the fresh and mellow white-cut Hetian chicken from my hometown. Every time I return home, I must eat the white-cut Hetian chicken made by my grandmother for the first meal. This original taste is a good medicine to relieve the tiredness of all foreign land and the most steadfast Hakka.

White cut Hetian chicken is a unique national geographical indication food in Changting, Fujian Province, and it is also a classic representative of Hakka cuisine. It ranks among the five famous chickens in the world. It has a history of breeding and eating for hundreds of years. Hetian chicken is native to Hetian Town, Changting. It is an excellent chicken breed bred by Hakka ancestors for a long time and raised in mountain forests. It is plump, tender in meat, low in fat and rich in umami. It has been a valuable food in Hakka area since ancient times. It was sent to the court as a tribute during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and has the reputation of "the first delicacy in western Fujian. The practice of white chop is a typical embodiment of Hakka food culture. Hakkas migrated to Changting, advocating the authenticity of the ingredients, abandoning complex cooking and heavy seasoning, and preserving the original flavor of chicken to the greatest extent by boiling in clear water, which not only reflects the simple and simple life attitude of Hakkas, but also highlights the core characteristics of "fresh, clear, light and mellow" Hakka cuisine, which has been passed down for hundreds of years, it has become a landmark dish of Hakka food culture and the most representative food business card of Changting, which is deeply loved by diners at home and abroad.

I sincerely recommend you to try the authentic Changting White Cut Hetian Chicken. First, it is a Hakka delicacy made by world-class famous chickens. It carries hundreds of years of Hakka food culture and migration history. It is not only delicious, but also the life wisdom and folk customs of Hakka ancestors. The cultural heritage is extremely profound. Second, the taste is extremely fresh and mellow, the chicken skin is golden and crisp, smooth and not greasy, no fishy smell, no firewood, full of native meat flavor, is the ultimate embodiment of the original flavor of the ingredients, light and palatable, suitable for all ages; Third, the cooking method is healthy and simple, boiled in clear water, no heavy oil, heavy and spicy, no extra additives, low fat and high protein, nutritious and healthy, which meets the needs of the current healthy diet. Fourth, it has a wide range of adaptation scenes. It is not only the top hard dish for Hakka banquet, it is also an excellent choice for family dinner and daily food supplement. It is very delicious with simple dipping sauce. Fifth, it has distinctive regional characteristics and is a unique delicacy of Changting. There are few authentic products on the market. It is a rare taste experience to taste authentic white-cut Hetian chicken. You can feel the purity and advanced taste of Hakka cuisine in one bite.

The essence of authentic white-cut Hetian chicken lies in "good ingredients and accurate temperature". Pure Hetian chicken raised in Changting's local mountain forest for more than 8 months must be selected, which is the core of delicious taste. When cooking, pay attention to "combination of soaking and boiling". After the fire is boiled, turn to small fire to slightly boil and soak slowly to avoid boiling and ensure tight meat. The key to crispy and tender chicken skin is ice water, the whole process does not add extra spices, only by ginger and a little salt to remove fishy smell, to the greatest extent to retain the original flavor of chicken. The dipping sauce is also extremely simple. Ginger and garlic are chopped into fine powder, added with a little salt, raw soy sauce and sesame oil to mix evenly. It does not rob the delicate taste of chicken, but only makes flavor ornaments. This is the soul of Hakka white chopped Hetian chicken, which is very simple but extreme. Today, Changting still retains the practice of free-range Hetian chicken and traditional white cooking. This seemingly simple craft hides the Hakkas' awe of the ingredients and their adherence to the original taste.

I share Hakka cuisine howcooks and always put white-cut hetian chicken in the first place, just to let more people know that the real delicacy never needs complicated modification, and the good ingredients themselves are the best taste. This dish has long been more than just a dish, it is the carrier of Hakka culture, the warmth of family reunion, the eating memory of Hakkas engraved in their bones, and the freshest and mellow fireworks taste of the ancient city of Changting. It does not have a gorgeous appearance, no strong taste, but it can impress everyone who tastes it with the purest freshness. This is the moving part of Hakka cuisine and the charm of the white cut Hetian chicken for a hundred years.

If you also prefer the light, authentic and original delicious food, you must find an authentic Changting white chopped Hetian chicken, savor this minimal but extreme fresh alcohol, and feel the simplicity and depth of Hakka food. If you have the chance to come to Changting, you must walk into the old Hakka house, taste the white-cut hetian chicken that is killed and cooked, stroll around the ancient city wall, taste Hakka rice wine, and immerse yourself in the fireworks and warmth of Tingzhou. Have you ever tried authentic Hakka chopped chicken? What is the most memorable home-cooked dish in your heart? Please leave a message in the comments section to share and talk about the native delicacies of the fireworks meal, or come to the howcooks to find me and unlock more stories about authentic Hakka cuisine and how to eat it.