Chicken burned with Chuc leaves (Chicken burned with O Thum leaves) is a dish originating from Cambodia, introduced to An Giang a long time ago and gradually became a famous specialty everywhere.
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| An Giang grilled chicken with Chuc leaves is in the top 100 Vietnamese specialties (2020-2021). (Photo: My Tran) |
Coming to this land, visitors can find and enjoy grilled chicken with Chuc leaves in many places, but the most delicious and famous is still at O Thum lake, Tri Ton district.
According to locals, to make delicious grilled chicken, people often choose hill chicken, weighing about 1.3 - 1.8 kg/chicken. This type of chicken is raised naturally, running around regularly so the meat is sweet and firm. In particular, the chicken is not prepared in advance but waits until a customer orders, the chef butchers it on the spot, marinates it with spices to keep the chicken fresh, when grilled it is still juicy and sweet.
In addition to familiar spices such as salt, lemongrass, garlic, chili, people also marinate chicken with a typical ingredient of An Giang. That is the Chuc leaf. This is also an important factor that determines the delicious taste of the dish.
Sharing with reporters, Mr. Ngoc, the owner of a local restaurant in Tri Ton, said that the Chuc tree is a famous tree in the Bay Nui area. The Chuc fruit is quite similar to a lemon but has a rough skin, a more sour taste and a fragrant smell. Not only the fruit but the Chuc leaves are also used by the locals as a special spice to create famous delicious dishes here.
According to Mr. Ngoc, after being butchered and cleaned, the chicken is marinated with lemongrass, chili, betel leaves, garlic, sugar, salt, then wait for about 15 - 20 minutes for the chicken to absorb the spices before burning. Chicken can be burned in an electric oven or aluminum pot, but the traditional method of burning in a clay pot is still preferred because it helps the dish have the most original and rustic flavor.
After preparing the stove, people will line the bottom of the pot with a thick layer of lemongrass, betel leaves and salt, then place the chicken with a little oil (or honey) on the skin side and light the fire. When making the dish, you need to pay attention to the fire carefully, keep the fire high at first and then gradually reduce it to a small fire to ensure the chicken is cooked evenly and does not burn. The chicken burned with betel leaves will be cooked for about 40 minutes, when removed from the pot, it will smell fragrant.
“Depending on the place and each person, there is a secret to making the dish more attractive. For example, after burning, people add a layer of lemongrass and leaves, then add oil and burn for another 5-10 minutes to make the chicken skin more golden and crispy. However, this method makes the chicken absorb more fat than normal grilling and diners may feel full when eating,” Mr. Ngoc added.
When served on the tray, the grilled chicken dish fascinates diners with its crispy skin, honey-brown color, and the distinctive aroma of the leaves. Although the dish takes a long time to prepare, the delicious flavor is enough to make up for the wait.
Chicken grilled with Chuc leaves is best eaten hot, with raw vegetables, cucumbers and can be dipped in a number of different sauces such as homemade fish sauce, salt, pepper and lemon, salt, chili and lemon. Among them, the dipping sauce with Chuc leaves is the most popular, with a unique taste and indescribable aroma.
To experience the full flavor of grilled chicken in a rustic way, diners often use their bare hands, tearing it as they eat or cutting it with scissors instead of chopping it with a knife. The grilled chicken is tender, firm but not dry, and can be enjoyed by both the elderly and children.
Because the grilled chicken with leaves is moderate in weight, enough for two people, if you want to be more full, you can order fried rice or white rice. Each meal costs about 300,000 - 350,000 VND/2 people, including vegetable salad and drinks.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/doc-dao-dac-san-an-giang-co-nguon-goc-tu-campuchia-phai-an-bang-tay-khong-moi-ngon-289952.html
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