Recipe - Red-Cooked Spiced Chicken

1 Spring chicken
2 sl Fresh ginger root
1 Scallion stalk
2 Cloves star anise
One half Stick cinnamon
1 tablespoon Szechwan peppercorns
One fourth cup Soy sauce
One fourth cup Sherry
One fourth cup Sesame oil
1 tablespoon Sugar
2 Scallions

1. Wipe chicken with a damp cloth. Slice ginger root and cut scallion stalk
in two; place in chicken cavity.

2. Put star anise, cinnamon stick and Szechwan peppercorns on a square of
cheesecloth. Gather up the corners and tie with thread.

3. In a large heavy pan, heat soy sauce, shcrry and sesame oil. Add chicken
and spice bag and simmer, covered, until nearly done, about 40 minutes.
(Turn bird once or twice for even coloring.) Add sugar and simmer, covered,
5 minutes more.

4. Let bird cool slightly. With a cleaver, chop, bones and all, in 2inch
sections; or carve Westernstyle. Sliver remaining scallions; sprinkle over
and serve. VARIATION: At the beginning of step 3, add 1 piece dried
tangerine peel (soaked).

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