Braised Chicken Drumsticks

Servings: 8
Ingredients:

8    Chicken fryer drumsticks            4 c  Cold water
Cornstarch for dredging           1/2 c  Dark soy sauce
3 c  Oil for deep-frying               1/2 c  Rock sugar
1 c  Dried chestnuts                   1/2 c  Medium sherry
1    Five-spice bouquet (OR            1/2 ts Salt
1 tb Five-spice powder)

Preparation: At least 12 hours before cooking this dish, rinse several
times then soak dried chestnuts. After soaking, remove pieces of skin
wedged in nutmeat. Deep-frying: In wok or suitable pan, slowly heat
deep-frying oil; oil is ready when bubbles quickly form around chopstick
held vertically in oil. Meanwhile, dredge drumsticks in cornstarch; shake
off excess starch. Deep-fry drumsticks 2 at a time until brown, about 5
minutes. Remove from oil; drain. Red-cooking: Pour water in sandy pot or
comparable casserole dish; add 5-spice bouquet, soy sauce, sherry and salt
(5-spice powder can be substituted, though the final flavor will be less
distinctive). Slowly bring to boil, reduce heat, cover pot and simmer 15
minutes. Remove cover; discard bouquet; add salt and rock sugar; dissolve
rock sugar. You can stop here until near serving time. About 30 minutes
before serving time, add drumsticks and soaked chestnuts to hot red-cooked
sauce. Simmer in covered pot for 15 minutes; remove cover; simmer for
another 15 minutes. Sauce should have reduced by about 1/3, and become
bright and thick. To serve, prop drumsticks up around sides of sandy pot;
spear chestnuts with sate sticks or long toothpicks. Serves 8

—–