Destination
Koh Samui
The story
Kai tun mor fai ("chicken stewed in clay pot") is Bangkok Chinatown's medicinal chicken soup and a specialty of the Teochew-Chinese slow-cooked tradition: a whole small chicken (or bone-in pieces) is slow-simmered for 3 hours in a clay pot with Chinese herbal ingredients — dried Chinese mushrooms, dried lotus seeds, jujube (Chinese red dates), goji berries, wolfberry, ginger, garlic, Shaoxing wine and light soy — into a very clear, deeply savoury broth thought to be restorative and warming. Served in the same clay pot at the table with a spoon of coriander and a small dish of soy-chili for dipping. Sold at every Bangkok Chinatown medicinal-food restaurant (Nay Mong Wanton, Nay Hong).
Method
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tbsp salt. Add chicken pieces; blanch 3 minutes. Drain and rinse briefly.
In a clay pot or heavy Dutch oven, arrange blanched chicken pieces. Add dried mushrooms, lotus seeds, jujube, ginger, garlic, spring onions and pandan.
Pour in water. Add light soy, Shaoxing wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, skim foam.
Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 2.5 to 3 hours until chicken is falling off the bone and the broth is deeply flavoured.
Add goji berries in the last 15 minutes.
Taste — should be lightly savoury with a mild herbal-chicken depth. Adjust with salt or pepper.
Combine soy-chili dip ingredients in a small bowl.
Bring the clay pot directly to the table. Scatter with coriander and spring onion. Serve with jasmine rice, soy-chili dip on the side. Diners can spoon broth over rice or eat as a soup course.
Tips
- Clay pot is worth using. Cheap at any Chinese cookware shop. Insulates and gives you a specific slow-cooked depth.
- Herbs: jujube, lotus, goji. All available at Chinese grocers. This trio is the medicinal signature.
- Slow and low. Three hours minimum. Any faster and the flavours don't fully develop.
- Light seasoning. This soup should taste of chicken and herbs, not soy. Season lightly.
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