Hong Kong Style Sizzling Chicken and Pork Liver Claypot

Slice 200g of pork liver into 5mm thick pieces. Add 2 tsp cornstarch and 0.5 tbsp rice wine, then knead firmly for about 1 minute to release trapped blood. Rinse thoroughly with water. Repeat washing 2 to 3 times until the water remains clear, then strain and drain.

Wash half a whole chicken (about 600g), discard excess fat and tail, then chop into uniform bite-sized pieces. Rinse again under tap water to wash away bone fragments, then drain in a mesh strainer.

Cut 3 green onions into 4cm sections. Dice 20g ginger into small cubes. Halve 5 peeled shallots. Lightly crush 5 garlic cloves. Cut half an onion into wedges. Scoop out 1 tbsp Chu Hou paste and set aside.

Place drained liver into a bowl. Add 0.5 tsp sugar, 0.5 tsp chicken powder, 0.25 tsp white pepper, 0.5 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp oyster sauce, 0.5 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 2 tsp cornstarch, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Mix well by hand and set aside.

Place chicken into a mixing bowl. Add 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp chicken powder, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp sesame oil, 0.5 tbsp light soy sauce, 0.5 tbsp oyster sauce, 0.5 tbsp dark soy sauce, 0.5 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 3 tsp cornstarch. Mix until sticky and well-colored, then add 1 tbsp oil to seal. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Pour about 300ml boiling water directly into the bowl with marinated liver. Soak for 3 to 4 minutes until the outer layer turns pale white (about 50% cooked). Immediately strain and drain thoroughly with a mesh strainer.

Place a cast iron pot or claypot on gas stove, turn to high heat, and add 1 tbsp cooking oil. Add 20g ginger cubes first and sauté until light golden brown with fragrant ginger aroma.

Add halved shallots and crushed garlic into the pot and sauté until fragrant, then add onion pieces and fry until translucent. Add 1 tbsp Chu Hou paste and 3 tbsp water, stirring quickly until the sauce bubbles and evenly coats aromatics.

Layer marinated chicken evenly on top of aromatics. Cover with lid and pour 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine around lid rim to let alcohol vaporize inside. Turn to medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Open lid, stir quickly to prevent sticking, re-cover and cook for another 3 minutes (total 8 minutes) until chicken is 80-90% cooked.

Open lid and turn to high heat. Stir constantly to reduce the gravy until thickened (no need for extra cornstarch slurry as chicken marinade thickens it automatically). Add soaked liver and stir-fry on high heat for 1 minute until liver is fully coated and cooked through.

Scatter green onion sections over top, drizzle about 0.5 tsp sesame oil, turn off heat, and serve sizzling hot in the claypot.