For boiling, select a chicken over a year old, middling fat, and with dark yellow skin. Clean, stuff and truss the same as for roasting. Dredge it thickly with flour, put it in a pot with just water enough to cover, add a quarter-cup of washed rice. Cover the pot closely, and put it over a moderate fire to simmer until the chicken is very tender - about two hours if the chicken is old. When done, remove the strings and skewers, serve with egg or oyster sauce.

The water in which the chicken was boiled may be used for soup.