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1
Bring a deep pot of water to a gentle simmer. Adjust the heat so the water holds at 80–85°C; it should tremble rather than bubble. Lower the chicken in whole. The water must not boil at any point — the Cantonese principle is that the chicken swims, not boils. Maintain this temperature throughout.
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2
Poach the chicken for 12 minutes per 500 g of its weight. This is where the dish lives or dies: at 80–85°C the proteins set gently, the skin remains silky, and the juices at the thigh joint run clear-pink. Insert a metal skewer into the thickest part of the thigh; the juices must run clear-pink — not red — and the skewer must feel hot against the inner wrist.
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3
Remove the chicken immediately and plunge it into the prepared ice water bath. Hold it submerged for 5 minutes. The cold shock arrests the cooking and contracts the skin to a firm, taut surface. The skin should feel taut and slightly resistant under the fingers, not slack.
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4
While the chicken rests, combine the finely minced ginger and scallion in a heatproof bowl. Heat the neutral oil in a small pan until it begins to smoke, then pour it directly over the aromatics. The bloom — the loud sizzle and rush of fragrance as the hot oil strikes the ginger and scallion — is essential. The oil should smell sharply fragrant and grassy, not flat.
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5
Drain the chicken and allow it to come to room temperature; the texture is best slightly cool, not hot. Reserve the poaching liquid for use as a light stock — it serves as a base for noodles or congee. Chop or slice the chicken through the bone in the Cantonese manner. Arrange on a serving plate and spoon the ginger-scallion oil over. Soy sauce, chili oil, or sesame oil may be offered alongside.