Name: Clarissa Feildel’s steamed ginger chicken is the ultimate comfort food
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 chicken Maryland pieces, skin on; Sea salt and ground white pepper, to taste; 4 tablespoons sesame oil; 4 green onions, trimmed, halved; 1 large knob of ginger, sliced; Steamed rice, to serve; Dressing; 1/2 bunch green onions, sliced into 5mm batons; 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder; 200g fresh ginger, processed into a fine paste; 200ml neutral-flavoured oil; Sauce; 2 tablespoons oyster sauce; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 teaspoon sugar; Pinch ground white pepper

Ginger and chicken go hand in hand when it comes to nourishing, soul-healing food. Use a plate, small bowl and wok to create the perfect steaming environment for your chicken, and wait for the flavour to infuse and cook together. You’ll love the silky smoothness of the chicken, the rich ginger flavouring and the extra dipping sauces on the side. It’s a match made in heaven.

Ingredients

4 chicken Maryland pieces, skin on

Sea salt and ground white pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons sesame oil

4 green onions, trimmed, halved

1 large knob of ginger, sliced

Steamed rice, to serve

Dressing

1/2 bunch green onions, sliced into 5mm batons

1 teaspoon chicken stock powder

200g fresh ginger, processed into a fine paste

200ml neutral-flavoured oil

Sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

Pinch ground white pepper

Method

Step 1

For the dressing, place the onion, stock powder and ginger paste in a heatproof and shatterproof bowl or pot. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until just smoking.

Step 2

Carefully pour the hot oil over the ingredients in the bowl, taking care as the oil will splatter. Set aside.

Step 3

Rub the chicken with salt, pepper and sesame oil. Gently slide your fingers beneath the chicken skin to loosen it. Insert a few slices of ginger underneath the skin of each Maryland.

Step 4

Invert a small bowl in the centre of a large plate, ensuring the plate is big enough to hold the chicken around the central bowl. Arrange the green onion on the plate and top with chicken. The rendered chicken juices will collect under the bowl.

Step 5

Place a heatproof rack or an inverted bowl in a large, deep pot or wok with a lid. Position the plate on the rack or upturned bowl. The plate should be elevated. Add about 8cm of water to the pot and cover with the lid. Steam for 30–40 minutes, regularly checking the water levels and replenishing the water as needed.

Step 6

Arrange shredded or whole pieces of chicken on a serving plate. Add sauce ingredients to the central bowl along with the rendered chicken juices. Pour over the chicken.

Step 7

Serve steamed chicken with steamed rice and the ginger dressing on the side.

steamed ginger chicken marylands in red bowl on a bed of rice with herbs on top — (Photography: Con Poulos, Styling: Lucy Busuttil)

Clarissa Feildel Chef

As an accomplished cook, author and television presenter Clarissa Feildel has always had food at the heart of everything she does. Clarissa’s Nyonya/Chinese and Sri Lankan background has given her a melting pot of dishes in her repertoire, which she uses every day when feeding her family.