Beggar's Chicken

• 1 fresh whole baby chicken (Poussin)
• 4 Large Lotus Leaves / Aluminium foil sheets
• 2-4 strong toothpicks
• 225 ml tepid water
• 150g plain flour

• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 cube finely chopped ginger
• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 lean pork loin steaks
• 2 tbsp Chinese pickled cabbage
• 3 spring onion ends
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 capful rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp five-spice powder
• Salt to taste

1. Finely chop the ginger and place in large mixing bowl

2. Place the chicken in the bowl and add all the marinade mix well and base the chicken inside and out with the marinade.

3. Cover and place in the fridge to marinade for 1 hour

4. Finely chop all stuffing ingredients

5. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and fry the finely chopped spring onions with the pork loin on high heat

6. Once the pork is golden brown, add the mushrooms, pickled cabbage and five spice

7. Add the soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and salt to taste

8. Once the sauce is well mixed, add the sesame oil, bring to a high simmer and then remove from heat

9. Stuff the marinated chicken cavity with the stuffing and pour the sauce into the cavity

10. Close the cavity by threading the toothpicks through the skin

11. Now wrap the whole chicken in the lotus leaves and place pouring the sauce over the chicken before closing neatly on the top of the chicken

12. Make a dough by gradually mixing in the water with the flour in a large mixing bowl. Knead for roughly 3-5 minutes.

13. Now roll out the dough and wrap the whole lotus leaf chicken in the dough. Closing the dough together on the top of the chicken

14. Place in the oven to cook for 45-60 mins depending on the size of the chicken