ABSTRACT
It is also customary to use a whole chicken for soup making, deep frying or braising. In such cases, young chicken is preferred for frying, braising or steaming. Old hens are· always used for boiling soup. ( Unless specified. chicken in China mean" either old and young fowls in a general sense.) Old roosters are rarely eaten. Chinese consider the meat of a y(JUng roosters to he highly nutritious until it starts crowing; thereafter it is believed to have injurious properties. ( If the chicken is an old fowl always use its own fat to fry the chicken meat before braising otherwise use 4 tablespoonfuls of cooking oil as substitute. ) A longer time is needed to braise an old fowl.
