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1
Rinse and dry chicken and set it on a large cutting board.
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2
With a cleaver, cut off wings.
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3
Cut off neck, if present.
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4
Remove fat from cavity and neck areas.
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5
Place chicken breast side down on board.
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6
With a sharp boning or paring knife, cut through skin along backbone.
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7
Peel skin back a little on one side, cutting away meat from bones.
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8
When hip and shoulder joints are exposed, twist or cut them away from carcass, being careful not to tear skin.
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9
Leave the leg alone for now and concentrate on cutting the breast free from breastbone.
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10
Be especially careful not to puncture skin lying across breastbone.
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11
Repeat on other side, then lift carcass away from skin, carefully cutting skin free from ridge of breastbone.
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12
Remove leg bones by first, cutting skin length of thigh and then cutting and scraping meat away from bone.
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13
Repeat process for drumstick.
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14
Follow along for other side thigh and drumstick.
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15
You should now have left a whole skin and most of the meat.
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16
Trim any large pieces of meat remaining on carcass and add
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17
to skin.
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18
Drain bamboo leaves and cut off thick stems.
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19
Cut two 4-foot lengths of kitchen twine, and lay them crosswise across bottom of a shallow steaming bowl.
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20
Lay two leaves crosswise over string in bowl.
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21
Arrange remaining leaves at intermediate angles to cover bottom of bowl completely.
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22
Combine soy sauce and wine; rub mixture over both sides of chicken.
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23
Place chicken skin side down in bowl on top of leaves.
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24
Rearrange any loose pieces of meat on skin to form a roughly equal layer.
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25
Drain rice and combine with sausage, lotus seed, shrimp, mushrooms, cloud ears, water chestnuts, green onions and hoisin sauce.
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26
Spread mixture over middle of chicken, then wrap skin around stuffing, overlapping slightly.
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27
Fold leaves tightly around chicken and secure with strings.
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28
Tie bundle in several directions to maintain shape.
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29
(This is where it helps to have an extra set of hands.)
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30
Steam in bowl, skin side up (the side with the wider parts of leaves showing) for 2 hours.
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31
To serve: Remove strings and set package in serving dish, skin side up.
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32
Cut skin open with four crossing cuts, cutting down through skin into stuffing, and fold back leaves like an 8-pedaled flower.
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33
Discard loose pieces of leaves.
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34
Spoon a little of stock from steaming bowl onto stuffing before serving.
