Recipe Ingredient
- 1.5kg whole chicken, cleaned
- 5 stalks spring onion
- 3 slices ginger
- 2 tbsp Shao Hsing wine
- 4-5 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp corn oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Fragrant spice light soy sauce mixture
- 200ml good quality light soy sauce
- 150ml water
- 1 tbsp thick soy sauce
- 2 star anise
- 1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns, lightly smashed
- 10 cloves
Instructions
- Combine light soy sauce, water, thick soy sauce, star anise, Szechuan peppercorns and cloves in a saucepot. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the fragrant soy sauce is reduced to half the amount. Remove and discard the spices.
- Heat wok until hot and add oil and sesame oil. Fry spring onion and ginger until fragrant. Dish out and stuff into the chicken cavity.
- Pour the prepared fragrant spice soy sauce mixture and sugar into a clean wok. Reduce the heat and bring to a simmering boil until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the wine.
- Put in the chicken slowly, holding on to the head. Use a ladle to scoop up the sauce and pour it over the chicken repeatedly.
- Slowly slip the whole chicken into the wok. Use a metal spoon to scoop up the sauce and bathe the chicken with it. (Should the sauce evaporate slightly, add as much as ¼ cup water and bring to the boil again.)
- Leave the chicken in the sauce for 15-20 minutes. Turn the chicken over after 20 minutes, and allow the other side to seep in the sauce for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Take the chicken out and tip off excess liquid. Carve the chicken and serve with the cooked sauce.
