Ingredients
Turkey
- 1.5 kgturkey breast and thigh, on the bone
- 2 litreswater
- 1onion
- 3 slicesginger
- 2spring onions
- 1 tbsprice wine
- salt
Sauce
- 3 tbsprendered turkey or chicken fat, schmaltz
- 4shallots, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsplight soy sauce
- 1 tbspdark soy sauce
- 1 tspsugar
- 200 mlturkey broth
- white pepper
To serve
- hot short grain rice
- pickled daikon, or pickled cucumber
- a soft braised egg, optional
To serve
- in a small bowl, as a light meal
Directions
- Use both breast and thigh, since breast alone is dry and thigh alone is too rich. Put the turkey in the pot with cold water, ginger, spring onion and rice wine. Bring it slowly to a bare simmer and skim the surface as scum rises. Never let it boil, which toughens the meat and clouds the broth. Poach it gently for about an hour, depending on the size of the pieces.
- Turn off the heat and let the turkey cool in its own broth for at least half an hour. Cooling it in the liquid keeps it moist, where meat lifted straight out dries and tightens. Pull the meat off the bone and shred it by hand into loose strands. Shred it by hand rather than cutting it, since torn edges hold the sauce far better than clean cut ones.
- Discard the skin or render it separately. Chop the turkey skin and any fat and render it slowly in a pan over a low heat. Strain the liquid fat and keep the crisp bits, which are scattered over the finished bowl. Chicken fat works perfectly well if you have no turkey fat.
- Fry thinly sliced shallots in the rendered fat over a medium heat until golden and crisp. Watch them constantly and take them out while they are still pale gold.
- Keep the shallot-infused fat, which is the base of the sauce. Combine the shallot fat with soy sauces, sugar, a little broth and white pepper. Warm it gently so the sugar dissolves. It should be salty and savoury with a faint sweetness, and thin enough to soak into the rice.
- Use short grain rice, cooked slightly firm, and serve it hot. The rice is the base of the bowl and it should be properly hot, since it warms everything else. Put hot rice in a small bowl and pile the shredded turkey over it. Spoon the warm sauce over the meat and the rice. Scatter the fried shallots and crisp fat over the top.
- Use enough sauce that the rice underneath is seasoned, not just the meat. Serve pickled daikon or pickled cucumber alongside. Serve it in a small bowl rather than a large one, since it is rich. A soft braised egg is a common addition.
Technique
- Turkeys arrived with American forces stationed in Taiwan after 1945.
- Rendered poultry fat is the heart of the dish, not an optional extra.
- Shred the meat by hand, since torn edges hold the sauce better.
Substitutions
- Chicken in place of turkey, which is the older version.
- Chicken fat in place of turkey fat.
Variations
- With a braised egg on top.
- Made with chicken, as ji rou fan.
- With extra crisp fat scattered over.
History
Turkeys arrived with American forces stationed in Taiwan after 1945; Chiayi cooks substituted the cheap meat for chicken and made it a local institution.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chiayi Turkey Rice?
Chiayi Turkey Rice is a main from Taiwan: shredded turkey over rice with schmaltz and pickled radish, Chiayi’s civic dish. Turkeys arrived with American forces stationed in Taiwan after 1945; Chiayi cooks substituted the cheap meat for chicken and made it a local institution.
How long does Chiayi Turkey Rice take to make?
Chiayi Turkey Rice takes 20 min of preparation and 1 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Chiayi Turkey Rice?
Yes, within limits. Chicken in place of turkey, which is the older version. Chicken fat in place of turkey fat.
What is the most important thing to get right in Chiayi Turkey Rice?
Use both breast and thigh, since breast alone is dry and thigh alone is too rich. Put the turkey in the pot with cold water, ginger, spring onion and rice wine. Bring it slowly to a bare simmer and skim the surface as scum rises. Never let it boil, which toughens the meat and clouds the broth. Poach it gently for about an hour, depending on the size of the pieces.
