Hometown Friday - hand-pulled chicken with 5-spice salt from MEIN

 

MEIN (pronounced 'Min' per the owner), located in the Chinatown district of southwest Houston, has received rave reviews for its Cantonese cuisine.

Owner Mike Tran calls it "humble everyday food" with dishes like the house special egg noodles dry, superior soy prawns and King To spareribs. He demonstrates to FOX 26 News food segment contributor Cleverley Stone how to make his recipe hand-pulled chicken with five-spice salt.


HAND-PULLED CHICKEN
Mike Tran, MEIN

STEP 1
chinese poached chicken

Ingredients

  • 1 free-range chicken
  • 2 inch piece of ginger peeled and sliced thin.
  • 1 tbs sugar
  • 2 tbs kosher salt
  • 2 scallions cut in big pieces
  • 5 smashed garlic cloves
  • 5 whole black peppers

STEP 2
the method

  1. fill a pot with 2 liters of water and put it on med-high
  2. add all ingredients
  3. bring boil than simmer for 45 mins
  4. put chicken in ice bath for at least 1 hour
  5. de-bone and shred chicken and set it aside

STEP 3
5 spice salt

  • 1 tbs of five spice powder (can be found in chinese supermarket)
  • 2 tbs of kosher salt
  • method
  • 1 put salt and five spice powder in a pan
  • 2 light roast until release the fragrance

STEP 3
final step to combine ingredients

  1. add shredded chicken to a large bowl
  2. pinch of five spice salt to taste
  3. 1 tsp sesame oil
  4. add shredded scallion and cilantro to your liking
  5. sprinkle sesame
  6. toss or mix well and plate
  7. serve with a plate of sesame oil and five spice salt for dipping