MOE in LA: Chinese Dinner

[rjwong]

Is the chicken head edible?  Why do they serve it with the dish?  (Cool photo, by the way.)  How is the melon soup prepared?

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I don't think so. Mind you, I have never eaten a chicken's head. Probably, the head is included with the dish because it shows completeness. Economically, I figure since someone paid for the whole chicken, the whole chicken with head is served. When it comes to food, we don't want to get cheated out of anything, I suppose.

You buy a whole winter melon. Cut the top off as a lid. Clean out the inside seeds and pulp. Fill the melon with soup broth, about 3/4 full. Add other ingredients. The fun part is putting the whole melon into a huge pot for steaming. You may first need to put the melon inside a small bowl before putting it into the huge pot. Steam it for several hours. Make sure there's enough broth inside the melon while steaming. Notice that the melon has plastic wrap surrounding it. That's to maintain its structural integrity. This is the basic recipe. There's a more detailed version in Gloria Bley Miller's book, The thousand recipe Chinese cookbook.

[Pan]

Yes, chicken head is most definitely edible, and I have eaten it!

Looks like a great banquet, Russell!

[Rebel Rose]

Okay, not to be morbid, Michael, but you've got to tell us more than "I've eaten it."

How does one eat a chicken head? Is it crispy? Do you pierce the skull and slurp out the brains? Do you suck on it? What does it taste like? I dunno . . . is it an experience you would happily repeat?

[rjwong]

. . . What does it taste like?  I dunno . . .

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Mary ... please ... that's a silly question. Obviously, it tastes like chicken!!

[Pan]

Okay, not to be morbid, Michael, but you've got to tell us more than "I've eaten it."

How does one eat a chicken head?

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Just open your mouth and chew.

Seriously, depending on how thoroughly it's been cooked (a propos your question about crispiness), you can either crunch the whole thing up or eat just the parts other than the bones.

Do you pierce the skull and slurp out the brains?

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Chicken brains are very small and can be eaten in a couple of bites or so; no slurping necessary, and no, I don't suck on the head.

Yes, it tastes good (tastes like chicken meat plus brains, which are something like other animal brains you might have tried) and I do happily repeat the experience whenever I have the chance.

[Rebel Rose]

Thanks, Michael. Now I will not be afraid to try it, should I ever be, uh, lucky enough to be presented with one.

Mary ... please ... that's a silly question.  Obviously, it tastes like chicken!! 

Yeah, yeah. I forgot the classic eG Joke #2.

[hzrt8w]

Is the chicken head edible?  Why do they serve it with the dish?  (Cool photo, by the way.)  How is the melon soup prepared?

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It is a Chinese belief that we should be yau tau yau mei [Cantonese], meaning (phonetically):

yau = have

tau = head, also = beginning

yai = have (again)

mei = tail, also = end

In other words, we believe in doing things from start to finish. Therefore in most of our poultry dishes (ducks, chicken, etc.), we must include the head and the tail of the bird. Or else we will be missing the beginning or the end. Not good.

Whether the guests eat it is a different story. Some do, most don't.

Many Chinese elders like eating chicken tails. One picks the chicken tail and serves it to the more senior person at the table as a show of respect.

I ate chicken heads when I was younger. Didn't think much of it. It is quite boney. The whole skull. Hardly any meat at all. And you can't crush the beak. Chicken brain is very small. You hardly notice it. Tastes like tofu anyway.

You should have the Chinese steamed pig brain with eggs... that is some brain to be afraid of!

Today I don't eat chicken head any more. But when we order deep-fried pigeons, I still like to chew on their heads. Much smaller.

The winter melon soup looks lovely. But cooking with the whole melon... a lot of work. Great for presentation. As for the taste, not that different from cooking with sliced winter melon. The thing about this dish is mostly for showmenship.