Dong'an Chicken

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 liters of water or chicken broth
• 1 chicken, whole, approx. 1 kg
• 1 piece(s) ginger, fresh, unpeeled (approx. 4 cm long)
• 3 spring onions
• 1 chili pepper(s), red, hot
• 3 chili pepper(s), red, dried
• 2 tbsp rice wine, Chinese (or sherry)
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• ½ tsp peppercorns (Szechuan), crushed
• n. B. Salt
• 1 tsp potato flour
• 2 tsp water, cold
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 4 tbsp oil (peanut oil or other high-heat oil)

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

famous mild dish from Hunan Province

Bring the water (or chicken stock) to a boil. Add the whole, washed chicken and bring back to a boil. Crush half the ginger and a spring onion with the handle of a knife and add them to the pot. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Then remove the chicken and let it cool. Do not discard the cooking stock. Remove all meat from the cooled chicken and cut it into bite-sized strips against the grain (leaving the skin on makes it taste better). Return the bones and leftovers to the cooking stock and boil until cooked through – this makes a delicious broth. Slice the fresh chilies lengthwise. Remove the seeds and white membranes, then slice them into very fine strips. Peel the rest of the ginger and slice it into strips in the same way. Cut the remaining spring onions into roughly equal-sized pieces. Heat a wok and add the peanut oil. Before it starts to smoke, add the fresh chili pepper, ginger, dried chili peppers (optional), and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir constantly, making sure the spices don’t overcook or burn. Add the meat and stir. Add the rice wine to the side of the wok, then the rice vinegar and salt. Add a few spoonfuls of the cooking broth (not necessary for a juicy chicken). Bring everything to a boil, but then reduce the heat to low and simmer for a few minutes, basting the chicken strips occasionally with the liquid. Then add the potato flour mixed with cold water to the wok to thicken and stir. Remove from the heat and finally stir in the spring onions and sesame oil. Serve with Chinese sticky rice. This dish isn’t spicy or spicy, but that’s typical of Hunan cuisine. Since I personally like a little more flavor, I spice it up by adding more ginger and chili peppers. Soy sauce or chili paste, or even more spring onions, go well with it—depending on your taste.