The Chicken

I tried to learn over the weekend….I was ready with my knife, all sharpened and all…then I went to the Bird…and it tilted its head..there and then emotions took over…Couldn’t do it…lol. To make matters worse, out of being so sentimental i forgot to tie the chicken back and it let itself loose running all over the kitchen…..OH bouy!…I had to chase after the chicken with a very big basin so i could trap it underneath the basin. It was a lot of hard work, but when i remembered it was for a clients event, i got motivated more to get the chicken!

….Finally, Mum came to the rescue and killed the chicken…at that moment, mum was my super hero. She held the Chicken by it’s feathers, placed a leg on the legs and that was it..lol………, she seemed like captain planet….though muttering the Lords prayer..lol the scenario was a whole lot of fun…….

However what does it take to kill a Chicken? Courage
What does it take to clean it up after killing?  Patience
What does it take to eat it? Having a mouth that loves food……
I am sure you are wondering why kill a Chicken when you can buy frozen already clean  ones…?

Here’s my reason, “a fresh taste”
(Sometimes purchase fresh!! you don’t have to kill it yourself, buy from a farm house or farm market an attendant would definitely do the job).

As simple as this reason might seem, its important. Freshness brings a lot of class and taste to your meals giving you the benefit of accessing 100% nutritional value. In this case of the Chicken, the Chicken juice, its natural oil and crunchy bone, gives you an allure that makes you forget your worries till the meal is over..hehehe!

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The cleaning of a chicken is not such a hard work, Here are few patient tips.

• After killing, wash away what is  left of its blood,
• Soak the whole chicken in boiled water for 2 minutes making sure its all deepened in water,
• Remove from hot water and pluck feathers using your hands, try and pluck as fast as possible.
• When you are satisfied all the colored feathers are gone, light your cooker, hold the chicken above the cooker heat slightly turning it from side to side to get rid of the transparent white feathers that cant be plucked out. Do this for only a minute.

Once that’s done,

•  Cut open the chicken from its neck down just above its belly (middle). Open up the rest of the chicken using your hands.
•  Gradually and gently pull out the intestine then dispose. You have to ensure the green fluid (Bile) hiding around the intestine doesn’t burst , if not its going to spoil the taste of the whole chicken.

You can now cut your meat into any size you want.

• Wash till it’s thoroughly clean, per boil with a blend of herb spices, onions, garlic, ginger, salt and stork cube. 
• Leave to boil for 30 minutes. You get an aroma that is divine and a taste so satisfying. Some cooks do a shallow frying of the chicken after it’s boiled, some fry with vegetable oil.

If you want a taste so distinct i recommend you fry in butter, or better still deep boiled chicken in bread crumbs and fry with this, you will find a unique taste!.

There are some myths i would like to dispel…

1. When pulling off the feathers of a chicken Don’t talk or else the feathers would keep growing back. This made me laugh when my mother told me. I decided to practice. Called my little help to pluck some feathers on one, while i do the other. I engaged in a conversation whilst plucking the feathers, she didn’t talk and she finished before me…..I was amazed…but I actually think the answer to this myth is do not get distracted so you can pluck out you chicken feathers as quickly as you can. They don’t grow back lol.
2. Some say you have to breath on the bile to avoid strange occurrences..lol…whatever!! just clean the chicken and ensure the bile doesn’t bust open.