Rich and flavorful salt-cured chicken with peppercorns from Lang Son.

- Using simple, traditional ingredients, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Xiem from Dong Kinh ward, Lang Son city, has successfully created a popular salt-cured chicken with peppercorns dish. In 2024, the product was evaluated and classified as a 3-star OCOP product.

To learn more about this unique salt-cured chicken with peppercorns, we visited the Hong Xiem restaurant business, located at 2A Phai Ve Street, Dong Kinh Ward, Lang Son City, owned by Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Xiem.

While preparing the ingredients, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Xiem shared: "Passionate about cooking and wanting to create delicious, high-quality food myself, in 2023, I learned how to make salt-cured chicken from a famous chef in Hanoi and experimented to find my own recipe for salt-cured chicken with peppercorns. In Lang Son, besides the specialties of roast duck and roast pork, free-range chicken can also be considered a quality ingredient. With the desire to introduce more consumers to the unique flavor of salt-cured chicken with peppercorns from Lang Son, after successfully developing this dish, I decided to bring it to market and develop it."

Through her research, Ms. Xiêm added star anise to her meat marinade recipe, giving her products a unique flavor.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Xiem displays her salt-cured chicken with peppercorns dish.

To produce delicious, flavorful salt-cured chicken, the facility selects firm, lean chickens. After cleaning, the chickens are marinated with over 30 spices, including essential ingredients such as red salt, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, cardamom, and fresh turmeric. To create a beautiful golden color, the chickens are "bathed" in turmeric water and wild honey. Next, Sichuan peppercorns are added in the right amount and stuffed into the chicken's cavity to enhance the flavor. Finally, the chickens are steamed over medium heat for about 50 minutes, a step that allows the spices to penetrate evenly.

Another special feature of salt-cured chicken is the dipping sauce, an indispensable component that creates the dish's delicious and complete flavor. The establishment also shared the recipe for the dipping sauce, which includes a mixture of vinegar, sugar, salt, seasoning powder, star anise, finely ground fresh chili peppers, and condensed milk... all mixed together to create a unique dipping sauce with an unforgettable color and flavor.

When enjoying this dish, customers will clearly taste the natural sweetness of the chicken meat, blended with the spicy aroma of Sichuan peppercorns without overpowering the chicken's flavor. This is also the difference that makes Ms. Xiêm's salt-cured chicken taste distinctly different from salt-cured chicken elsewhere.

Mr. Hoang Minh Tan from Bac Tu Liem district, Hanoi, shared: "I had the opportunity to visit Lang Son and enjoyed the salt-cured chicken with peppercorns, which left a strong impression. In particular, the salt-cured chicken from Hong Xiem establishment has a very distinctive flavor; the meat is firm, the skin is golden and crispy, and the dipping sauce is fragrant and rich in herbal flavor, unlike any other sauce. Every time I visit Lang Son, I enjoy this dish and buy it as a gift."

The finished salt-cured chicken with peppercorns has a beautiful golden color.

Currently, a salt-cured chicken is sold for 280,000 VND, weighing between 1.4 and 1.5 kg per chicken. In addition, the facility uses a vacuum packaging machine to package the product for customers. The packaging clearly displays product information, a barcode for traceability, usage and storage instructions, and the store's address and phone number.

Besides sales channels on e-commerce platforms and social media, the facility also focuses on participating in trade fairs and exhibitions to introduce its products both within and outside the province, reaching a wider customer base. As a result, the facility sells an average of over 1,000 salt-cured chickens per month, expanding its market to provinces and cities nationwide, including Hanoi, Lam Dong , and Thai Nguyen.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong Sen, Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Dong Kinh Ward, Lang Son City, stated: "The salt-cured chicken with peppercorns production facility of Hong Xiem Restaurant always adheres to food safety and hygiene regulations. Although it has only been on the market for a short time, the facility's salt-cured chicken with peppercorns brand has gained the trust of local people and customers from outside the province due to its delicious, attractive, and unique product, ensuring food safety and hygiene. With continuous efforts in innovation and product value enhancement, in 2024, the product was recognized as a 3-star OCOP product, thereby creating momentum for the facility to promote its development and marketing, helping to create more jobs for local workers."

With its delicious flavor and harmonious combination of ingredients, salt-cured chicken with peppercorns has captivated the taste buds of many diners, especially those from outside the province visiting Lang Son. This contributes to promoting Lang Son's cuisine and creates unforgettable impressions for tourists.

Some steps in making salt-cured chicken with peppercorns.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/dam-da-ga-u-muoi-hoa-tieu-xu-lang-5029941.html