Slow-cooker Chinese-style poached chicken

SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 3 HOURS 15 MINUTES (+ STANDING TIME)

FIVE INGREDIENTS

1 bunch green onions

120g piece fresh ginger

5 cloves garlic

1.6kg whole chicken

¼ cup (60ml) Chinese cooking wine (shao hsing) PANTRY STAPLES sea salt flakes freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil

MAKE IT SIX INGREDIENTS Use the poaching liquid to cook rice, following packet directions, if you like.

1 Preheat a 5-litre (20-cup) slow cooker on HIGH. Separate white and green parts of green onions; reserve tops.

2 Peel ginger; coarsely chop 100g. Crush the garlic cloves.

3 Pat chicken dry with paper towel; season cavity well. Pound white part of onion, chopped ginger and garlic with a large mortar and pestle (alternatively, turn a cook’s knife on its side and pound each ingredient on a chopping board). Fill chicken cavity with ginger mixture, then add wine. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen string. 4 Place in slow cooker, breast-side up; cover with

3.5 litres (14 cups) boiling water. Season generously; cover surface with a large piece of baking paper. Cook, with lid on for 3 hours on HIGH or until juices run clean when tested.

5 Transfer chicken carefully to a plate; cover with foil or plastic to keep warm. Stand for 10 minutes. 6 Meanwhile, finely grate remaining ginger into a small heatproof bowl; add finely chopped reserved green onion tops. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until just smoking; pour carefully over ginger mixture. Season well with salt. 7 Remove the skin from chicken, if preferred.

Cut chicken into eight pieces using a sharp cook’s knife, cleaver or kitchen scissors.

8 Top chicken with ginger mixture and season with pepper and serve.

Suitable to freeze.