Recipe - Steamed Anise Chicken

2 Limes
1 tablespoon Brown sugar
4 Star anise, divided (see
Note)
1/8 teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoon Soy sauce
2 tablespoon Lowsodium soy sauce
1/3 cup Water
4 Boneless and skinless
Chicken breast halves

1. Squeeze the juice out of the limes. Reserve the peels. Measure 3
tablespoons juice.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the lime juice, brown sugar, 2 star anise,
crushed red pepper, soy sauce and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the
heat and simmer 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

3. Put the chicken in a glass dish and spoon half of the soy mixture over,
turning to coat. Marinate at room temperature 1 hour, or cover and
refrigerate for longer marination, up to 24 hours.

4. When ready to steam the chicken, put the lime peels, 2 star anise and
about 8 cups of water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Fit a
steamer basket or rack over the top. Remove the chicken from the
marinade, discarding the leftover marinade, and place in the steamer.
Cover tightly and steam about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is no
longer pink in the center.

5. In a small saucepan cook down the remaining soy mixture until reduced
to about 2 tablespoons. (You can add a little water if you reduce the
mixture too much.) Spoon over the steamed chicken.

Note: Star anise is a dried spice with a pungent, licorice flavour. It can
be purchased at most Asian groceries. You can substitute One half teaspoon
lightly crushed anise seed for 2 star anise, although the flavour will not
be as distinctive.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini