Hanghai Red-cooked Chicken

Hanghai Red-cooked Chicken

3 1/2 lb (approx) whole frying chicken
1/2 c Dark soy sauce
1 1/2 c Peanut (or vegetable) oil for braising
2 tb Peanut oil for stewing
4 Green onions
1/2 ts Minced fresh ginger
4 c Water
1/2 c Medium sherry
1/2 c Thin soy sauce
1 Clove star anise
1 ts Salt
3 Lumps rock sugar
1 tb Sesame oil
cornstarch paste

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 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, & turn once or twice so skin browns evenly ( about 10-15 minutes). Care-fully 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 chick will fit snugly. When oil is hot, add green onions & ginger. Saute until onions are lightly brown. Add water, sherry, thin soy, star anise & salt. Bring mixture to boil.While liquid is heating, loosely tie legs of chicken together with apiece 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 & 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 & serve.



3 1/2 lb (approx) whole frying chicken
1/2 c Dark soy sauce
1 1/2 c Peanut (or vegetable) oil for braising
2 tb Peanut oil for stewing
4 Green onions
1/2 ts Minced fresh ginger
4 c Water
1/2 c Medium sherry
1/2 c Thin soy sauce
1 Clove star anise
1 ts Salt
3 Lumps rock sugar
1 tb Sesame oil
cornstarch paste

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 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, & turn once or twice so skin browns evenly ( about 10-15 minutes). Care-fully 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 chick will fit snugly. When oil is hot, add green onions & ginger. Saute until onions are lightly brown. Add water, sherry, thin soy, star anise & salt. Bring mixture to boil.While liquid is heating, loosely tie legs of chicken together with apiece 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 & 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 & serve.