Salt and pepper chicken creates a new identity

From local ingredients and meticulous preparation, salt and pepper chicken is becoming a new highlight of Lang Son cuisine.

Star anise makes the difference

In Lang Son, star anise has long been associated with the culinary life of the highland people. From that familiar scent, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Xiem, Dong Kinh ward, has developed the dish of salt and pepper chicken, a product recognized as a 3-star OCOP product in 2024.

According to Ms. Xiem, with the desire to create a convenient dish but still retain the identity of her hometown, she was determined to learn the profession from a famous chef in Hanoi . Upon returning, she continued to adjust the recipe to suit local tastes, paying special attention to how to use star anise so that it is strong but not harsh.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Xiem introduces a batch of golden chicken that has just been completed, a product that many tourists are looking to buy. Photo: Hoang Nghia.

Star anise helps to deodorize, soften the meat and create a luxurious aroma, so she directly incorporates it into the marinade recipe, becoming a unique mark of the dish. At the establishment on Phai Ve Street, the scent of herbs and the sweetness of free-range chicken create a space full of the mountains and forests.

Many diners said that the golden skin, firm, sweet meat and light anise scent made it easy for them to recognize the “ Lang Son essence” in each piece of chicken. Some visitors also expressed surprise at the moderate herbal scent, slightly spicy but not overwhelming the taste of the meat. Thanks to that, salt and pepper chicken quickly became a specialty gift that many people look to buy every time they come to Lang Son.

Standardize each processing step

The quality of the dish begins with the selection of ingredients. Hong Xiem only uses free-range chickens with lean meat and little fat to ensure natural sweetness and toughness. After preliminary processing, the chicken is marinated with pepper, star anise, cardamom, fresh turmeric and many other herbs in a ratio that has been tested many times.

The layer of wild honey mixed with turmeric helps the chicken skin to have a beautiful golden color when cooked and retain a light crispiness. The chicken is then placed on a layer of red salt and steamed for about fifty minutes over medium heat. This is a decisive step to help the meat cook slowly, retain its softness and sweetness and create a natural shine on the skin.

Chickens with a high degree of “natural dryness” often produce a more beautiful and fragrant finished product. Each batch of chicken is checked after opening to ensure consistent color and flavor. The accompanying dipping sauce is also carefully mixed with vinegar, sugar, crushed chili, pepper and a little condensed milk to create a slightly sour and spicy taste and a light fatty taste.

Mr. Le Van Tuan (Ninh Binh province) said that he was impressed at first sight by the combination of crispy golden skin, firm meat and fragrant herbal dipping sauce. Every time he goes to Lang Son, he buys a few more as gifts for his family.

Carefulness at each stage helps products meet food safety requirements, an important factor in OCOP assessment and creates the premise for facilities to expand production while maintaining stable flavor.

Affirming brand from indigenous values

Each salted chicken weighs about 1.5 kg, priced at 300,000 VND, is vacuum-packed and fully labeled with information, barcode for traceability and instructions for use. The packaging is designed to be sturdy, convenient for long-distance transportation, helping customers feel secure when using it as a gift.

Hong Xiem facility staff quickly packaged each salt and pepper chicken, preserving the full star anise flavor in each batch of finished product. Photo: Hoang Nghia.

Hong Xiem facility not only sells directly but also expands to e-commerce channels and social networks, and participates in many fairs inside and outside the province. Thanks to that, the facility consumes more than 1,000 chickens per month and has expanded its market to many provinces and cities.

According to the assessment of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Lang Son, although it has only recently appeared on the market, salt and pepper chicken has built a reputation thanks to its stable flavor, guaranteed process and transparent information. Being recognized as a 3-star OCOP in 2024 not only recognizes the efforts of the facility but also opens up opportunities for the product to continue to spread widely.

From a familiar dish, salt and pepper chicken has become a product with its own identity, contributing to promoting local cuisine and creating more livelihoods for Lang Son workers.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/ga-u-muoi-hoa-tieu-tao-ban-sac-moi-d786492.html