Instruction to poach the chicken

• Clean the cavity of the chicken, reserve some of the fat
• Wash the chicken, rub the skin with salt, rinse and then let it drip dry for about 10 min
• Marinate the inside with a mixture of 1 tbs of salt and 2 tsp of the rice wine that is rubbed for about 5 min and let sit for about 20 min
• Prepare a big pot of water and add the chicken fat, ginger, spring onions, white pepper. The pot should be able to hold the immersed whole chicken
• Prepare a second big pot of boiling water. Also this pot should be big enough to be able to fully immerse the whole chicken
• Fully dip the chicken, hooked at the neck in the boiling water of the second pot ensuring the water also enters the cavity and then pull the chicken quickly up and drain the cavity. Give a pull at the legs. Repeat this dipping 4 times, ensuring to pull the legs also the second rinse. Thereafter this is not needed anymore
• After the last dip pour a scoop of cold water over the skin
• Then dip the chicken in the boiling first pot and pull back and drain the cavity. Bring back to the boil and immerse the whole chicken in the broth and switch off the fire and partially cover with the lid, leaving a small space to breath. Check the temperature now and then and keep it around 82 C
• After 50 min, take the chicken out of the poaching liquid, drain the hot water from the cavity and rinse for 5 minutes under cold running water and remove any scum as well
• Then transfer to a big bowl with ice water, letting the skin shrink until springy and the cavity is fully cooled down. Turn the chicken during this process a few times and add ice if needed
• Let the chicken drip dry and optionally coat with a thin layer of vegetable oil to prevent further drying out
• Cut the chicken in pieces and serve in the shape of a chicken. In China the chicken is cut through the bones, in the west you may prefer to debone the chicken before serving, but the whole dish is focussed at preserving the skin

  Serve with ginger scallion sauce.