Shanghai Red-Cooked Chicken

Servings: 4
Ingredients:

3 1/2 lb Whole frying chicken              1/2 c  Medium sherry
1/2 c  Dark soy sauce                    1/2 c  Thin soy sauce
1 1/2 c  Vegetable oil for braising          1    Clove star anise
2 tb Peanut oil for stewing              1 ts Salt
4    Green onions                        3    Lumps rock sugar
1/2 ts Minced fresh ginger                 1 tb Sesame oil
4 c  Water                                    Cornstarch paste

If serving more people, get more chickens. Chickens should not exceed
about 4 lbs. each. Marinating: Wash chicken thoroughly under cool water:
dry. Cut off fat pockets around cavity opening. Place chicken in snug
bowl. Brush or rub dark soy sauce into skin; let stand in bowl for 30
minutes; repeat brushing several times. Remove from bowl. Braising: In wok
heat oil for braising under medium high flame. When oil is hot, but not
smoking, quickly lower chicken into oil. Protect yourself against
splattering oil by holding wok lid over wok; don’t actually cover it. Using
large spoon, baste chicken with hot oil, and turn once or twice so skin
browns evenly (about 10-15 minutes). Carefully remove chicken from wok,
trying not to break skin. Stewing: Chop green onions into 2′ sections. Heat
peanut oil in heavy pot or dutch oven, in which chicken will fit snugly.
When oil is hot, add green onions and ginger. Saute until onions are lightly
brown. Add water, sherry, thin soy, star anise and salt. Bring mixture to
boil. While liquid is heating, loosely tie legs of chicken together with a
piece of twine. Lower chicken into boiling liquid. Bring liquid to boil
again, then reduce heat for very slow simmer. Chicken should actually be
floating free in liquid. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour or until chicken
is very tender. Leave chicken in covered pot until 5 minutes before
serving. Then remove it carefully to serving platter; remove twine. Remove
all but 1 cup of liquid from pot (including onion pieces). Bring liquid to
boil; thicken slightly with cornstarch paste; glaze with sesame oil. Pour
sauce over chicken and serve. Serves 4

—–