Hainan people seem to have a special feeling for chickens. Without chickens, there would be no feast. Where there are Hainanese, there are Wenchang chickens. "Chicken" is an indispensable protagonist in various cuisines in China. There is a legend behind every roast chicken dish, and so is Wenchang chicken in Hainan.

Reporter Lu Fanfeng: Audience friends, I am in Wenchang now. Wenchang Chicken is named after its origin in Wenchang, especially Dafeng Village in Donglu Town, Wenchang City, Tianci Village in Tanniu Town, Shuibei Village in Gongpo Town and Tianlun Village in Bao Fang Township. Today, I will take you to visit the birthplace of Wenchang chicken and look for legends and anecdotes about Wenchang chicken together.

(Figure) We started from Tanniu Town, Wenchang, and came to Tianci Village in the north of the town. This is the birthplace of the legendary Wenchang chicken. There are many banyan trees outside the village, with green grass and flocks of chickens. Yun Tian Li, deputy mayor of Tanniu Town, Wenchang City, Shi Yin: In the Ming Dynasty, a Wenchang man was an official in North Korea. Back in Beijing, he brought some Wenchang chicken for the emperor to taste. After tasting it, the emperor praised: "Chicken comes from the hometown of culture, with outstanding people, prosperous culture and fragrant chicken." Really Wenchang chicken! " Wenchang chicken got its name from this.

The villagers enjoying the cool under the tree told us another legend. In the Qing Dynasty, a man from Jinshan, Hainan, worked as a senior official in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and went home to visit relatives during the Spring Festival one year. When he was leaving home, he visited his old classmates in Niutianci Village, Wenchang Tan. This classmate entertained him with authentic Wenchang chicken and picked a few to bring back to Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Wenchang Chicken became famous from then on.

Reporter Lu Fanfeng: The reporter has also heard such a story about Wenchang Chicken. During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period, Feng Baiju and his comrades-in-arms held the red flag for 20 years under the harsh environment, and their revolutionary achievements were overwhelming, creating a great miracle in the history of the Red Army. In addition to the firm belief in * * * productism, Wenchang Chicken also contributed. It is said that the slogan of the Red Army soldiers is: "Go to Haikou and eat Wenchang chicken." This story can't be verified, but Wenchang Chicken left a deep impression on the reporter.

(Figure) Although people still don't know the question of "which comes first, the chicken or the egg", who can resist the temptation of delicious food at present?

(B) Wenchang Chicken: a unique way of feeding

(Lu Fanfeng, Cai Chaoyang)

One of the important reasons why delicious food is delicious is regular exercise. Chickens produced in batches in chicken farms can't taste good anyway because of lack of exercise. To put it more bluntly, it is "meat that is often exercised will be fragrant." (Reporter appears) Reporter Lu Fanfeng: Wenchang chicken has a breeding history of about 300 years. According to the documented data, it was in the middle of Qing Dynasty (1600- 1700) that immigrants from Fujian and Guangdong brought in and settled in Wenchang. It was formed by the masses for a long time under the specific natural environment conditions in Wenchang.

(Photo) After liberation, Wenchang chickens were raised in almost every household in Wenchang, ranging from a few to dozens. The villagers all graze, hens hatch eggs and bring chicks. After the chicks are hatched, they are kept in a small yard. During this time, they are usually not fed, so that hens can practice their ability to find food in the wild with their chicks. After about 15 days, hens can take their chicks outside to find their own food. Wenchang chickens are usually raised in rubber forests and banyan trees, and fed with wild weeds, tree seeds and auxiliary concentrated feed. Wenchang chicken, which grew in sufficient sunshine and suitable temperature, formed a unique posture of small size, fat tail and strong chest.

Reporter Lu Fanfeng: When Wenchang chicken grows naturally for about 3 months, its average weight is about 1 kg. At this time, villagers often keep them in small cages. During this period, Wenchang chicken will be fed a lot of rice, sugar and grain. The main purpose is to gain weight and sell it at a good price in the market.

(Photo) The reporter is located in Longquan Wenchang Chicken Breeding Base in Wenchang East Road Town, and also saw another very exquisite breeding method. According to tradition, they carefully raised Wenchang chicken. In the process of reproduction, they eat weeds, grains, insects and so on. 4 months, and put them in cages for 2 months, eating a mixture of bran, rice, sweet potatoes and peanut cakes. This Wenchang chicken is firm and tender, fragrant, with small and crisp bones and pure taste. Today, when factory farming prevails all over the world, perhaps only in Wenchang can we see this spectacular sight of pastoral chicken raising. ...

(C) Wenchang Chicken: Cooking Method

(Lu Fanfeng, Chen Xianfan)

(Mouth) Obviously, the delicious taste of Wenchang Chicken was prepared as early as before his death. After such special cultivation, Wenchang chicken has the characteristics of crispy skin, soft and fine bones, tender and smooth meat, fat but not greasy. Such a naturally beautiful chicken can't be sloppy in the kitchen. Traditional eating methods include fried coconut milk, stewed coconut milk, fried chicken and ginger chicken. But for a good Wenchang chicken, white cutting has always been recognized as the highest courtesy.

(Reporter's appearance) Hainan people eat Wenchang chicken, which retains the original flavor of Hainan cuisine and is mostly cut in white. Although the method is simple, it can also reflect the original flavor of Wenchang chicken, which is delicious and tender. Today, the chef of Longquan Seafood Hotel shows you the authentic Wenchang chicken cutting method.

(Figure) The master first slaughtered Wenchang chicken, bled it, depilated it with hot water and rinsed it clean. . Then add water and proper amount of refined salt, monosodium glutamate, ginger slices and peanut oil to aluminum pot. After the water boils, turn the chicken over in boiling water, so that the chicken will expand and shape when heated. Lift the chicken from the hot water twice, pour out the water in the chamber, and keep the temperature inside and outside the chicken. Then simmer for 8- 10 minutes.

Stew for 8- 10 minutes, the chicken skin turns yellow and orange, and then the master puts chopsticks under the chicken wings. If there is no bright red blood, it means that the chicken is cooked. Then scoop up and drain the water and sweep the chicken with sesame oil. In this way, the color, fragrance, taste and shape of chicken are unique. It seems simple, but it is not easy to do. Among them, the dosage of each material, the mastery of cooking temperature and so on are the key points.