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One 3 to 3¼ lb chicken
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons salt
3 pieces eight-star anise
One 1 by 2-inch piece dried tangerine
peel
Three 2-inch cinnamon sticks
One ½-inch-thick slice fresh ginger,
lightly smashed
8½ cups cold water
½ cup Chinese white rice wine or gin
1 whole nutmeg
For the coating:
1 teaspoon maltose or honey, melted with
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon Shao-Hsing wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon Chinese white rice vinegar or
distilled vinegar
½ teaspoon cornstarch
6 cups peanut oil
Sichuan Peppercorn Salt for serving
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Method:
Clean the chicken inside and out and
remove the fat and membranes. Wash under cold running water and
drain. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the salt on the outside of the chicken,
rub well, rinse, and drain well. Place the chicken in a strainer
and let drain for an hour. Combine all the other ingredients,
including the remaining 2 tablespoons salt, except coating
ingredients, in a large oval Dutch oven, and bring to a boil over high
heat. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Turn the heat back to high and return to a boil. Place the
chicken in the pot, breast side up. Cover. When the liquid
begins to boil, lower the heat immediately and simmer for 10 to 12
minutes. Turn the chicken over and repeat, cooking for 10 to 12
minutes more. Turn off the heat and allow the chicken to rest in
the liquid for 10 minutes. Remove and discard all the other
ingredients in the pot. Allow the chicken to drain and pierce it
with a cooking fork to help the draining process. In a small
bowl, combine the coating ingredients. With a pastry brush, coat
the chicken thoroughly with the coating mixture. Allow the
chicken to dry thoroughly, about 6 hours. (The use of an
electric fan can reduce this by half). Heat a wok over high heat
for 1 minute. Add the peanut oil and heat to 350°F to 375°F.
Place the chicken, breast side up, in a large Chinese strainer, lower
into the oil, and fry for 4 minutes, ladling hot oil over it as it
fries. The chicken should be golden brown. Turn off the
heat. Remove the chicken with a strainer and drain well over a
bowl. Allow to rest for 7 minutes. To serve, chop into
bite-sized pieces and serve with Sichuan peppercorn salt.
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