A Taste of the Countryside
We travel into the mountains of Sichuan province outside Chengdu, where we encounter markets, more pickles, fresh and fermented tofu, foraging, slaughtering, and more.
// PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF FERMENTATION //
presented by: The Foundation For Fermentation Fervor
with: Sandor Katz
www.wildfermentation.com/
and Mara King
ozuke.com/
directed, filmed, edited by: Mattia Sacco Botto
mattiasaccobotto.pixieset.com...
additional editing: Fabrizio Grasso
fabriziograsso.com/
// EPISODE 02 RECIPES // by Mara King
- DOUBANJIANG FREE-RANGE CHICKEN
1 whole chicken
1 tablespoon Doubanjiang
1/4 cup chile powder (Chinese or Korean Style sun-dried powder gives a nice red color)
1/2 small onion minced
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp Salt
Split the chicken on the breast side. Stretch out the legs and wings.
Mix all the other ingredients in a large ziplock bag, then add the chicken and massage.
Leave the chicken to marinade in the bag in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
BBQ over coal fire until internal temperature reads 175 degrees at the thickest parts of the chicken (breasts and thighs).
Rest for 15-20 minutes. Devour.
- SPICY RADISH SALAD
1 lb pink radishes (daikon works well too)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbs Chinkang vinegar
1/2 tsp Doubanjiang
1 tsp chicken essence
1 tbs rapeseed oil (can sub canola or olive oil)
1 scallion, chopped
Slice the radishes very fine into matchsticks.
Mix with all the other ingredients and leave to infuse for 15 minutes.
- CHICKEN OFFAL STIR-FRY
1/2 lb Chinese celery
1/4 lb chicken livers
1/4 lb chicken hearts
2 tbs oil
1 tbs pickled chilIs, chopped coarsely (can sub fermented chili paste)
1 garlic clove, sliced thin
Clean hearts and livers with cool water. Cut open hearts and rinse out any coagulated blood (not an issue if you are using fresh ones, but with frozen this is a helpful step). Trim connective tissue from hearts and livers (if necessary). Slice thin.
Clean Chinese celery carefully (because it is smaller, grit can get caught in between pieces). Cut into 1.5-in pieces.
Heat oil at medium-high heat, add liver and hearts and stir fry for about a minute. Add celery, garlic, chilis and salt. Stir fry for a couple of minutes until the celery relaxes. Serve hot.
// GLOSSARY - NOTES //
The original chicken in the episode was spit roasted, I modified for home by using my lo-fi BBQ set up and letting the coals burn down first, so that the chicken skin would not burn. It was BBQ'd covered mostly. A meat thermometer is an important tool here to make sure that the meat is done correctly.
Chinese / Korean sundried chilis - Have a bright red color as opposed to the darker red brown of the oven roasted chiles we are used to seeing in the U.S.A. They also have a brighter / sharper flavor so do look for them at the Asian food store.
Chinkang Vinegar - vinegar made from glutinous rice. It has an amazing smooth and complex flavor, not as sharp as rice wine vinegar. It is readily available at the Asian food store but if you can't find it you can substitute a half and half mixture of balsamic and rice wine vinegar.
Hearts and Livers - I was looking for a chicken with its gizzards but could not find one at the local Whole Foods. I could find frozen hearts and livers though. If you are using your own chicken with all the offals, a note on cleaning the intestines: Mr. Zhang ran water through the intestine and then washed them using vinegar.
Chinese Celery - easy to find at the Asian food store. Thinner and longer than what we think of as celery. It has a milder slightly peppery flavor. You can substitute celery but be sure to slice thin so it cooks quickly like the Chinese variety.
// 2017 - All Rights Reserved