- 3 lbs chicken legs and thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 2 tsps salt, plus more to taste
- 7 tsps black pepper, plus more to taste
- 12 oz. beer
- 1 lb new potatoes
- 1 qt vegetable oil
- 2 tbsps sliced garlic
- 2 tsps cumin seeds
- 2 tsps fennel seeds
- 1 tsp sichuan peppercorns, roughly chopped
- 1 star anise, left whole
- 2 dried chiles, minced
- 1.5 tbsps hot bean sauce
- 2 tbsps shaosing wine
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsps sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- cilantro, for garnish
ingredients
directions
1. Preparation: With a cleaver, chop the chicken into 2-inch pieces, and toss with 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper. (Use chicken scraps to make stock if you can.) Cover with the beer and marinate it in the refrigerator overnight or for at least a few hours. Cook the potatoes in salted water until nearly done; drain; cut into bite-size pieces if necessary. |
2. Heat at least 2 inches of the oil in a wok or tall, narrow pot over high heat. The more oil you use, the more chicken you can cook at one time. |
3. When the oil is hot, fry the chicken, in batches if necessary, until slightly brown; depending on your heat, this could take 1 to 5 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and let rest until cool, then fry again — up to 5 minutes depending on your heat — until nicely browned and crisp; remove. If you have the time, refrigerate the chicken before proceeding. |
4. Reduce the oil to about 2 tablespoons (reserve the rest for frying or other uses), and turn the heat to high. Add the garlic, and cook a few seconds, then add another tablespoon of oil. |
5. Add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, anise and dried chiles, and stir to combine. Add the hot bean sauce, and stir; return the chicken to the wok or skillet. |
6. Stir in the dark rice wine and 2 cups stock or water, and stir to create a sauce. Add 1 tablespoon black pepper, the sugar and soy sauce; bring to a vigorous boil. |
7. Add the potatoes, and continue to boil for another 10 to 15 minutes, adding more liquid as needed to keep the mixture soupy; you want to wind up with 1 to 2 cups sauce and tender potatoes. Taste, and adjust seasoning; add more black pepper if the taste isn’t strong. |
8. Ladle the chicken, potatoes and broth into bowls. Garnish with cilantro and serve with noodles or rice. |
Categories
Chicken, Chicken & Poultry, Chinese
Keywords
Chinese
