Sauna chicken is a modern classic hailing from the town of Shunde in Guangdong - it's fantastically fun meal that's technically one pot, and relatively easy on the cook :)

0:00 - What's sauna chicken?
0:55 - Where did sauna chicken come from?
2:14 - Equipment considerations and such
3:15 - How to make sauna chicken
6:43 - A quick dipping sauce
7:06 - How to enjoy sauna chicken

As promised, an actually good video on de-boning a chicken leg:
   • Deboning a Chicken leg/thigh quarter  

INGREDIENTS

Long grain glutinous rice (长糯米), 200g
Dried Shiitake Mushrooms (冬菇), 4
Lotus leaf (荷叶), 1
Whole chicken leg, 1kg, ~3
Marinade for the chicken:
Salt, 1 tsp
MSG (味精), ½ tsp
Sugar, ½ tsp
Cornstarch (生粉), 1 tbsp
White pepper powder, ¼ tsp
Soy sauce (生抽), 1 tsp
Rice wine, preferably clear Cantonese rice wine (米酒), 2 tsp
Scallion, 2, white part only, cut into ~1.5 inch sections
Ginger, ~1/2 inch, julienned
Peanut oil, preferably a virgin one, 2 tbsp
Marinade for the rice:
Salt, ¼ tsp
Sugar, ¼ tsp
MSG (味精), 1/8 tsp
Soy sauce (生抽), ½ tsp

To make the broth:
Ginger, ~1 inch, smashed
Any excess skin from trimming the chicken
Bones from deboning the chicken
Liaojiu a.k.a. Shaoxing wine (料酒/绍酒), 1 tbsp
Carrot, ½, cut into ~1.5 inch chunks
Hot boiled water, 1.5L
Stems from the shiitake
Soaking liquid from the shiitake
Corn, ½ ear, cut in half

Extra sliced scallion green for garnish

Dipping sauce:
Ginger, ~1 inch, julienned
Scallion green, ~1, julienned
Salt, ¼ tsp
Sugar, ½ tsp
MSG (味精), 1/8 tsp
Soy sauce (生抽), 1 tbsp
Toasted sesame oil (麻油), 1 tsp
Water, 1 tbsp

PROCESS

Rinse your rice, then toss in a bowl and fill it with hot, boiled water from the kettle and cover. Ditto with the shiitake mushrooms and lotus leaf (no need to cover the lotus leaf). Soak all for one hour.

While soaking, prep the rest of the ingredients. Separate the whites and the greens from the two scallions, cutting the former into 1.5 inch sections (for the chicken marinade). For the latter, julienne one for the dip and slice up the other for garnish. Cut the carrot on a bias (i.e. the ‘rolling cut’) into rough ~1.5 inch chunks. Chop the corn in half. Prepare the dipping sauce.

Debone the chicken legs, reserving the bones and any excess skin from the process. Slice the chicken into ~1cm strips, and mix with the ‘marinade for the chicken’.

By this time, everything should be done soaking. Squeeze the excess liquid from the shiitakes, and reserve the soaking liquid. Remove and reserve the stem. Slice the shiitake into strips and mix with the chicken.

Drain the liquid from the lotus leaf, cut into the size of your steamer. Also cut a little hole in the center to allow the steam to come through.

Drain the liquid from the rice, mix with the ‘marinade for the rice’.

Now, you can begin the broth. To (whatever vessel you’re using), add ~1 tbps oil and fry the smashed ginger and any excess chicken skin over a medium flame. Fry until fragrant, ~1 minute, then add in the chicken bones. Fry those until they’re just beginning to brown, 1-2 minutes, then swirl in the wine. Add in the carrot, fry for ~1 more minute. Add the hot water, the shiitake stems, the shiitake soaking liquid, and the corn. Bring to a rapid boil over a high flame.

Place the steaming rack with the lotus leaf over the broth, and spread the rice evenly on top. Cover, making sure that the lid is securely covering everything (depending on your set-up, you may need a heavier lid, or to wrap the set-up with a damp towel or two). Steam for 12 minutes on high.

Add half of the chicken on top of the rice. Steam for 7 minutes on high.

Garnish with sliced scallions, and serve with the dipping sauce listed above.

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Outro Music: คิดถึงคุณจัง by ธานินทร์ อินทรเทพ
Found via My Analog Journal (great channel):    • Live Stream: Favourite B-Side Tracks