Hakka-style salt-baked chicken

Active: 40 minutes; Total: 4 hours 15 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

Chicken, whole	4 pounds
Ginger, fresh, unpeeled, cut into 5 slices	1-inch piece
Scallions, cut into 1 ½-inch long pieces	2 medium
Rice wine or dry sherry	1 ½ tablespoons
Cilantro	5 sprigs + 2 sprigs
Star anise, whole, coarsely crushed	1
Rose dew liqueur or extra-dry vermouth	1 tablespoon
Salt, kosher	4 ½ pounds + ¼ teaspoon
Chinese chile sauce	1 tablespoon
Water, hot	1 tablespoon
Vinegar, rice	1 teaspoon + 2 tablespoons
Sugar, granulated	½ teaspoon + 1 teaspoon
Garlic, finely chopped	4 teaspoons
Ginger, peeled, finely chopped	1 tablespoon
Oil, corn or peanut	2 tablespoons

1. Remove and discard giblets; trim excess fat; pat chicken dry with paper towels. 
2. Smash the ginger and scallions on a cutting board with the broad side of a knife blade. 
3. Rub the chicken cavity with rice wine; stuff with the smashed ginger and scallion, 5 cilantro sprigs, and crushed star anise. 
4. Pull the chicken legs together, and truss tightly with butcher’s twine; tuck the wings back behind the neck. 
5. Brush liqueur evenly over the chicken skin. 
6. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a wire rack; let stand at room temperature in an airy place until the skin is dry to the touch, about 2 hours. 
7. Wrap the chicken in a single layer of loose-weave cheesecloth; bunch together extra cheesecloth above the breast, tying into a knot or with a piece of string; trim off excess cheesecloth. (The chicken should be tightly wrapped in a bundle.) 
8. Preheat oven to 275°F. 
9. Place 4 ½-pounds salt in a large, heavy, ovenproof stockpot that is just wider than the chicken and will hold the chicken snugly. 
10. Heat over medium-high, stirring often, until the salt is very hot to the touch, about 8 to 10 minutes. 
11. Remove and reserve 7-cups salt from the stockpot, leaving about 1 inch of salt on the bottom of the stockpot. 
12. Place the cheesecloth-wrapped chicken in the stockpot, breast side up, and cover completely with the reserved hot salt. 
13. Cover the stockpot; bake in preheated oven until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of the chicken registers 160°F, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. 
14. Remove from oven; let the chicken stand in stockpot for 20 minutes. 
15. Hakka chile sauce: Whisk together chile sauce, water, 1-teaspoon vinegar, and ½-teaspoon sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves; let stand 15 minutes before serving. 
16. Hakka garlic sauce: Whisk together 2-tablespoons vinegar, garlic, and 1-teaspoon sugar until the sugar dissolves; let stand 15 minutes before serving. 
17. Hakka ginger sauce: Place 1-tablespoon ginger in a small, heavy serving saucer; heat the oil over medium-high heat until nearly smoking, then pour over ginger; stir to combine; sprinkle with salt, stir again; serve warm or at room temperature. 
18. Gently remove the chicken from the stockpot, holding the knotted cheesecloth on top and pushing the salt aside. (Try not to tip the chicken, so the juices do not spill.) 
19. Carefully transfer the chicken to a platter, and remove the cheesecloth; discard the salt in the stockpot. Remove the trussing strings from the chicken; remove and discard solids inside the cavity of the chicken. 
20. Serve the chicken warm or at room temperature; chop Chinese-style into bite-size pieces; garnish with remaining cilantro sprigs, and serve with the sauces. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Chicken.

Chicken tikka meatballs with ginger rice

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 1 hour 25 minutes; Serves: 8

Ginger root, peeled, chunk cut	5-inch piece
Garlic, halved	8 cloves
Oil, canola	1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon
Rice, long grain, uncooked	1 ½ cup
Water	3 cups
Green onions, sliced	3 + 3
Garam masala, divided	1 tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoons
Tomatoes, crushed	28 ounces
Cream, heavy whipping	½ cup
Salt, dividied	½ teaspoon + 1 teaspoon
Cilantro leaves, fresh, chopped	1/3 cup + 1/3 cup
Pepper, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon
Chicken, ground	2 pounds
Sour cream	½ cup
Lime juice, fresh	1 tablespoon
Cumin, ground	¼ teaspoon

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
2. In a food processor, process the ginger until a paste forms; remove and set aside. 
3. Repeat with the garlic; remove and set aside. 
4. In a small saucepan, heat 1-teaspoon oil over medium heat. 
5. Add the rice and 1-teaspoon ginger paste; cook and stir until the rice is lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. 
6. Stir in the water; bring to a boil. 
7. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. 
8. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, heat 1-tablespoon oil over medium heat. 
9. Add half of the garlic paste and half of the remaining ginger paste; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
10. Add half of the green onions and 1-tablespoon garam masala; cook and stir 1 minute longer. 
11. Stir in the tomatoes, cream, and ½-teaspoon salt; heat through (do not allow to boil). 
12. In a large bowl, combine 1/3-cup cilantro, pepper, and the remaining green onions, ginger and garlic pastes, 1 ½-teaspoons garam masala, and 1-teaspoon salt. 
13. Add the chicken; mix lightly but thoroughly. 
14. Shape mixture into 1 ½-inch balls; place meatballs on a greased rack in a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. 
15. Bake until browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. 
16. Transfer the meatballs to the sauce; cook until heated through. 
17. Stir in remaining cilantro. 
18. Combine the sour cream, lime juice, cumin, and pinch of salt. 
19. Fluff the rice with a fork; serve with the meatballs and sauce. 
20. Drizzle with the sour cream mixture; top with additional cilantro and green onions. 

Recipe from Taste of Home.

Shoyu ramen

Active: 1 hour 15 minutes; Total: 6 hours 30 minutes; Serves: 4

Broth, chicken, low-sodium	8 cups
Mushrooms, shiitake, dried	16
Kombu	30 grams
Bonito flakes	20 grams
Mirin	1 ¼ cups
Soy sauce	1 ¼ cups
Sake	½ cup
Sugar, granulated	¼ cup
Ginger, sliced	2-inch piece
Scallions, halved	3
Garlic, peeled	3 cloves smashed + 8 cloves sliced
Sugar, brown	2 packed tablespoons
Water	1 ½ cups + 6 cups + 6 cups + 6 cups
Pork belly, skin-on	1 pound
Eggs, cold	4 large
Oil, canola	½ cup
Cayenne	1 tablespoon
Sesame seeds	2 teaspoons
Wheat noodles, fresh	4 ounces

Chicken dashi 

1. In a medium pot over medium heat, bring the broth to a bare simmer; remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes. 
2. Add the mushrooms and kombu, and let steep for 5 minutes. 
3. Add bonito flakes, and let steep 5 minutes more. 
4. Strain the dashi; reserve solids. 

Tare & chashu 

1. In a large pot over medium heat, bring the mirin, soy sauce, sake, sugars, ginger, scallions, smashed garlic, and 1 ½-cups water to a low simmer, then reduce heat to low. 
2. Meanwhile, in a medium pot over medium heat, bring the pork and 6-cups water to a bare simmer; immediately drain, and gently rinse the pork. 
3. Transfer the pork to the pot with the tare, and bring to a simmer. 
4. Cover and cook over low heat until tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes. 
5. Let cool 20 minutes, then strain and reserve the tare liquid. 
6. Refrigerate the pork and tare separately. 

Nitamago 

1. In a medium pot over medium heat, bring 6-cups water to a boil. 
2. Prink the bottom of the eggs with a pin. 
3. Gently lower the eggs into the pot with a spoon, and simmer for 6 minutes; drain. 
4. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath, and let cool 5 minutes. 
5. Thoroughly and gently crack the eggshells, then return to the ice bath to cool for 10 minutes more. 
6. Carefully peel the eggs, and transfer to a medium bowl. 
7. Pour tare over; weigh down the eggs with the reserved spent kombu to fully immerse in liquid. 
8. Let marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours, and up to 12. 

Garlic la-yu 

1. In a small pot over very low heat, simmer the garlic in canola oil, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 15 minutes. 
2. Remove from heat, stir in the cayenne, then the seeds; let cool. 

Serving 

1. Slice the chashu into 2-inch-wide slices; torch lightly, if desired. 
2. In a pot of boiling water, cook the noodles, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes; drain. 
3. In a small pot over medium heat, bring the dashi and mushrooms to a simmer; cook 1 minute. 
4. Transfer the dashi to a serving bowl, then add tare and noodles. 
5. Top with mushrooms, chashu, nitamago, scallion, and a drizzle of la-yu. 

Recipe from Delish magazine by June Xie.

Thai salmon bake

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 45 minutes; Serves: 4

Garlic, crushed	2 cloves
Ginger, peeled, finely chopped	¾-inch piece
Coconut milk,	14 ounces
Sugar, coconut	1 tablespoon
Thai 7 Spice seasoning	1 ½ teaspoon
Fish sauce	2 tablespoons
Lime juice, freshly squeezed	1 tablespoon
Shallots, finely chopped	3 large
Cilantro, finely chopped	2 tablespoons
Salmon fillets, skin on	20 ounces
Asparagus, cut into ¾-inch piece	9 ounces
Rice, basmati, cooked

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. 
2. Place the garlic, ginger, coconut milk, sugar, seasoning, fish sauce, and lime juice in a medium-sized bowl, and mix together; then add the shallots and cilantro. 
3. Place the salmon, skin side down, and the asparagus on a sheet pan; pour the sauce over the top. 
4. Cover with foil, and bake for 35 minutes; serve with rice. 

Recipe from Sheet Pan Dinners by Jenny Tschiesche & Liz Franklin.

Devil's ginger

Active: 5 minutes; Serves: 1

Vodka (Hanger One, per the restaurant, but I’m using Skyy)	2 ounces
St. Germaine	¾ ounce
Ginger, grated with microplane	1 tablespoon
Lime juice, fresh	½ ounce
Simple syrup	¼ ounce
Cayenne	Dusting
Ginger, candied	Garnish

1. Muddle fresh ginger in a cocktail mixer, and add ice. 
2. Add vodka, St. Germaine, juice, and simple syrup; shake for a minute to combine and chill. 
3. Strain into a chilled glass, lightly dust with cayenne, and garnish with a chunk of candied ginger on the rim. 

Based on a favorite cocktail served at Cafe Cruz in Capitola, CA.

Oven-steamed fish with scallions & ginger

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 30 minutes; Serves: 4

Scallions, trimmed, chopped; thinly sliced	6 + 2
Ginger, peeled, 2 inches chopped,  1 inch matchstick sliced	3-inch piece
Garlic, thinly sliced	3 cloves
Cod fillets, skinless	4
Soy sauce	3 tablespoons
Mirin rice wine	2 tablespoons
Toasted sesame oil	1 ½ teaspoons
Sugar	1 ½ teaspoons
Salt	¼ teaspoon
Pepper, white, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon
Oil, vegetable	2 tablespoons
Cilantro leaves	1/3 cup

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F; set a rack in the middle position. 
2. Spread the 6 scallions and two-thirds of the ginger evenly in a 13x9-inch baking pan, then top with the garlic. 
3. Fold an 18x12-inch piece of foil lengthwise to create an 18x6-inch sling; spray lightly with cooking spray. 
4. Place the sling in the pan lengthwise, with extra foil hanging over the ends of the pan. 
5. Arrange the cod on the sling; if the fillets vary in thickness, place thinner fillets in the middle and thicker at the ends. 
6. Whisk the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until combined; pour around the cod. 
7. Cover the pan tightly with foil, and bake until the fish registers 125°F to 130°F, about 12 to 14 minutes. 
8. Grasping the sling at both ends, carefully transfer the sling with the cod to a deep serving platter. 
9. Position a spatula at one end of the fillets to hold in place, and carefully slide the sling from under the cod. 
10. Strain the cooking liquids through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquids; discard any solids. 
11. Pour the strained liquid over the cod; sprinkle with the thinly sliced scallions. 
12. Heat the oil in a small skillet over high heat until shimmering. 
13. Reduce the heat to low, add the ginger matchsticks, and cook, stirring, until the ginger begins to brown and crisp, about 20 to 30 seconds. 
14. Drizzle the oil and ginger over the cod. 
15. Top with cilantro, and serve. 

Recipe from Yve Fontilea, adapted from the America’s Test Kitchen.

Gingerbread cookies

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 2 hours 10 minutes; Drinks: 10 to 11

Honey	255 grams
Maple syrup	2 tablespoons
Water	¼ cup
Ginger, peeled, chopped	3-inch piece
Scotch, blended	1 ½ ounces
Lemon juice, fresh	¾ ounce
Ice

1. Combine the honey, maple syrup, water, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until almost boiling. 
2. Remove the pan from heat, and let the flavors infuse for 2 hours. 
3. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the solids; makes 1 cup. 
4. Combine the scotch, ¾-ounce gingerbread syrup, lemon juice in a shaker filled with ice. 
5. Shake vigorously, and strain into a coupe or stemmed cocktail glass. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Shape magazine.