Beggar’s chicken

1.To make the dough place unsifted flour and salt into bowl; mix well. Gradually stir in water. Mix to a firm dough using your hands, a little extra water may be needed. Do not have dough too soft or it will be hard to handle.

2.Place two very large sheets of aluminium foil on the table, brush top sheet well with extra oil. Place the chicken in the middle of foil. Place roughly chopped shallots, sugar, peeled and sliced ginger, soy sauce, sherry, water and five spice powder in a bowl and mix well. Rub chicken all over with extra soy sauce, then rub with the two tablespoons of oil. Rub well into the skin. Pull skin at neck end down under chicken, tuck wing tips under chicken and over neck skin. Carefully pour soy sauce mixture into chicken cavity, holding chicken up slightly so that no sauce runs out. Secure end of chicken with small skewer. Wrap aluminium foil around the chicken and secure like a parcel.

3.Roll dough out to approximately 1cm (½ in) thickness, so that it will completely encase the chicken. Fold dough over the chicken. Press edges and ends together.

4.Place chicken into lightly oiled baking dish. With wet fingers, smooth out all joins, making sure there are no holes in the pastry, for the steam to escape. Bake in a hot oven for one hour. Reduce heat to moderately slow, cook further three hours. Remove chicken from oven, break open pastry clay with mallet or hammer and remove. Lift foil-wrapped chicken onto serving plate, and carefully remove the foil.