Authentic Chinese chicken Szechuan style

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 chicken
• 1 bunch of spring onions
• 3 tbsp peanuts
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds, roasted
• 1 tbsp chili flakes or dried chilies, pitted and finely chopped
• 1 cup rapeseed oil or other neutral oil
• 1 large ginger root
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 star anise
• 1 stalk(s) cinnamon
• 2 tbsp Szechuan pepper
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp sesame paste
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, light
• 2 tbsp chicken stock
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar or Chinese vinegar
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

口水鸡 (“KouShuiJi”, Mouth Watering Chicken), spicy, cold dish

This recipe is divided into three steps: preparing the sauce, cooking the chicken, and serving. This is a basic recipe. The quantities can be adjusted to taste and vary in China depending on the region or family tradition. This dish is suitable as both a starter and a main course. It is a dish that comes from Szechuan cuisine and is served cold or lukewarm. No Szechuan restaurant should be without it. Be careful, it’s spicy! For the sauce, put the peanuts (crushed in a mortar or finely chopped) in a bowl along with the toasted sesame seeds, chili flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Heat 1-2 cups of oil (you can use a little more) in a frying pan over medium-low heat and add the following ingredients: 1/2 bunch of spring onions, cut into 3-4 cm long pieces 1/2 bulb of ginger, sliced ​​4 cloves of garlic, sliced ​​1 star anise 1 cinnamon stick 2 tbsp Szechuan peppercorn, you can use a little more The flavors of the ingredients will slowly infuse into the oil. The heat should not be too high to avoid burning. Roast slowly until the ingredients turn brown and the flavors have released, creating a delicate fragrance. Pour the oil through a sieve into the bowl with the peanuts, sesame seeds, chili, and salt. The ingredients roasted in the oil will stay behind and will not be used in this recipe. Therefore, care should be taken to ensure that the flavors are well absorbed into the oil. Stir and cover. Do not open again until the sauce is needed. For the chicken, bring a large pan, about half full of water, to a boil with the remaining sliced ​​ginger, the remaining spring onions (cut into 3-4 cm pieces), and the wine. There should be enough liquid to cover the entire chicken. Add the chicken, wait until it returns to a boil, and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Then turn off the heat completely and let the chicken sit, covered, on the stovetop for 20 minutes. In the meantime, prepare an ice bath for the chicken in a sufficiently large bowl. After 20 minutes, place the chicken (without the ginger and spring onions) in the ice bath and let it cool completely. Handle it carefully so the skin doesn’t fall off. To serve, carve the chicken (remove bones if necessary, but leave the skin on) and place it on a serving platter. In a bowl, mix the sesame paste with soy sauce, rice vinegar, the remaining chopped garlic cloves, and the chicken stock. Add the sauce made at the beginning and stir. Now pour this sauce over the carved chicken. If desired, garnish with finely chopped spring onions or chopped cilantro. Tip: It’s worth leaving some sauce over or making some extra and eating it with pasta the next day!