Recipe - Deep-Fried Peking Chicken

1 Chicken
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar
One fourth teaspoon White pepper
1 Scallion stalk
2 sl Fresh ginger root
3 tablespoon Soy sauce
2 tablespoon Sherry
Cornstarch
Oil for deepfrying

1. Wipe chicken with a damp cloth. With a cleaver, chop bird, bones and
all, in 8 pieces, each approximately the same size. Place in a deep bowl.
Sprinkle with salt, sugar and pepper.

2. Cut scallion stalk in 1inch sections; mince ginger root. Add to bowl
along with soy sauce and sherry. Let chicken stand 2 to 3 hours in mixture,
turning occasionally.

3. Drain chicken well, discarding marinade; then dredge lightly with
cornstarch. Meanwhile heat oil.

4. Add chicken a few pieces at a time and deepfry until light golden
(about 5 minutes). Lift out with a strainer or tongs and let cool slightly
while reheating oil.

5. Return chicken to oil. Refry until crisp and golden (3 to 5 minutes
more). Drain on paper toweling. Serve plain or with any sauce for
deepfried Peking Chicken (see recipes "SoyVinegar", "Mixed Vegetable",
"GreenPeaCatsup", "StickSoy" or "Celery").

NOTE: This chicken may also be chopped, bones and all, in 2inch sections
either before or after deepfrying. VARIATIONS:

1. For the marinade seasonings in steps 1 and 2, substitute any of the
following mixtures and rub over chicken:

a. 2 tablespoons soy sauce, tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4
teaspoon pepper.

b. 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons sherry.

c. 2 tablespoons cognac, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1
garlic clove, minced.

d. 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons chicken fat.

2. In step 3, dip chicken first in egg white, then dredge in cornstarch.

From The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook, ISBN 0517658704. Downloaded
from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey.