民謠黃土雞 - Yellow Earth Chicken

This traditional Hong Kong dish is flavorful, crispy, and aromatic. It does take a while to prepair, but it is sure to be a hit with everyone after just one bite.

Yield:

Serves 4

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon minced peeled galangal
2. 15 fresh curry leaves
3. 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
4. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5. 1 tablespoon fine-quality Chinese rice wine
6. 1 (3-lb) chicken, rinsed and patted dry
7. 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

Directions

1. Pound galangal, curry leaves, and fine sea salt to a paste using mortar and pestle. Transfer to a bowl and stir in oil and rice wine. Rub inside cavity of chicken with galangal paste and marinate, covered and chilled, 8 to 24 hours.
2. Sprinkle outside of chicken with coarse salt.
3. Prepare grill for indirect-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas).
4. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom and lid of grill. Light a large chimney starter full of charcoal (preferably hardwood). When coals are lit, dump them out across bottom rack, leaving free of coals a space slightly larger than the size of the item to be grilled, and banking coals across the remaining space so that coals are about 3 times higher against side of grill (you may need to add additional unlit charcoal). When charcoal turns grayish white (start checking coals after 15 minutes), the grill will be at its hottest and will then begin to cool off; hold your hand 5 inches above grill rack to determine heat. Charcoal will be medium-hot when you can hold your hand there for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to medium.
5. TO COOK CHICKEN USING A CHARCOAL GRILL:
6. Lightly oil grill rack, then put chicken on rack with no coals directly underneath and cook, covered with lid, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in fleshy part of thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170ºF, 35 to 45 minutes.
7. TO COOK CHICKEN USING A GAS GRILL:
8. Lightly oil grill rack, then put chicken above shut-off burner. Grill, covered with lid, turning chicken 180 degrees halfway through cooking if using a 2-burner grill, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in fleshy part of thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170ºF, 35 to 45 minutes.
9. TO SERVE:
10. Transfer chicken to a platter and let stand 15 minutes. For the most flavor, spoon paste and juices from cavity over chicken after carving.

Notes

COOKS' NOTE: If you aren't able to grill outdoors, you can roast the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan in middle of a 400ºF oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted in fleshy part of thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170ºF, about 1 hour.