Steamed chicken with peanuts – Hua Sheng Zheng Ji

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 chicken legs
• 2 stalk(s) lemongrass
• 1 small chili pepper(s), green
• 1 small spring onion(s)
• 5 g turmeric root
• 500 water
• 8 g chicken stock powder
• 50 g carrot(s)
• 60 g cucumber(s)
• 1 pepper, red, long, fresh, mild
• 20 g ginger
• 40 g peanuts, blanched, roasted and salted
• 150 g cooking water (from the legs)
• 1 tsp tapioca flour
• 1 tbsp rice wine, clear, mild
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 tbsp sesame oil, dark
• flowers and leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

Succulent chicken with cucumber and carrot pieces. An attractive side dish. Recipe from eastern China.

Peel the skin off the washed chicken thighs. Separate the thighs at the joint and set aside with the skins. Wash the fresh lemongrass, remove the tough stalk at the bottom, discard any brown or wilted leaves, and use only the white parts. Cut these into approximately 8 cm long pieces. Pound the bottom 6 cm of the pieces with the back of a knife. The stems should break open at the bottom but remain intact. Cut the washed chili pepper lengthwise, remove the seeds, and use whole, seedless. Cut the washed spring onion crosswise into 2 cm long pieces. Be sure to wear gloves when using the fresh turmeric root. Brush the root under running water, peel it, and cut it crosswise into thin slices. Bring the water to a boil and dissolve the chicken stock powder in it. Add the chicken thighs, including the skins, and the remaining stock ingredients, and simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes. Strain and let cool slightly. Set the stock aside. Meanwhile, for the vegetables, wash and peel the carrot, cucumber, and ginger. Halve the cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cut it and the carrot into approximately 4 x 4 x 30 cm sticks. Remove the stem from the washed bell pepper, cut open on one side, remove the bright red membranes and seeds, and cut crosswise into thin strips. Thinly slice the ginger crosswise. Set aside the peanuts. Separate the chicken from the bones in as large pieces as possible and place on a 185 cm plate. Sprinkle the ginger and peanuts over the meat. Place the finished plate on a large coffee mug in a 24 cm saucepan (with a lid). Pour approximately 300 g of the broth over the plate. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce until smooth and set aside. Heat the sunflower oil in a wok until very hot. Add the carrot and cucumber pieces and the bell pepper strands and stir-fry for 1.5 minutes. Then deglaze with the sauce. Add the chicken, peanuts, and ginger to the vegetables in the wok. Cover and fry for 4 minutes over moderate heat. Drizzle the sesame oil over the finished dish. Transfer the mixture from the wok to a serving dish, garnish as desired, and serve as a side dish.