Honey gives this recipe its edge. Once the steak is cooked, you taste only the barest hint of sweetness, yet the sugar opens up all the meat's bold beefiness. Each mouthful delivers fabulous crustiness and a hum of black pepper.
The traditional recipe for this chicken was made by heating rock salt in a wok, then burying the chicken in the hot salt and cooking on the stove, as most homes in China did not have ovens. The modern convenience of having an oven makes it much easier to control the cooking temperature. Oven-roasting produces a skin that is crisp, golden brown, and mellow in flavor, with exceptionally juicy and flavorful meat. Mei Kuei Lu Chiew tastes a little like grappa. It’s hard to believe 2 tablespoons makes much of a difference, but the liquor contributes fragrance and sweetness to the chicken. If unavailable, grappa and vodka are adequate substitutes.
Many non-alcoholic fruit beverages are served at Native gatherings and festivals and are great with many kinds of foods. Present at both root feasts, salmon feasts, and many other festivals and private occasions, this sweet-sour drink also serves as a mild digestive aid - helpful when we are tempted to overindulge. Colorful, tasty variations are possible as the seasons change. Ripe melon slushes in late summer and cranberry-lime or mango-papaya slush in the fall are delicious combinations.