- This recipe substitutes stevia for sugar but is otherwise unaltered from the version published in Florence Lin's Chinese Regional Cookbook, an invaluable but, sadly, out-of-print resource for many of our family's favorite Chinese dishes.
The Ingredients (for 6 servings):
- 4 whole star anise, or the equivalent
- 1 dried or fresh tangerine peel
- 6 g (or 1 tablespoon) of fennel seed
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 70 g (or ¼ cup) of sea salt
- stevia equivalent of 100 g (or ½ cup) of sugar
- 120 ml (or ½ cup) of sherry
- 1 whole chicken, weighing approximately 2¼ kg (or 5 lb)
- sesame oil
- 20 g (or 2½ tablespoons) of mustard powder, preferably an oriental brand
- 1 small bunch of cilantro
The Method:
- Place 2.4 l (or 10 cups) of water in a pot just large enough to hold a chicken comfortably.
- Add the star anise, tangerine peel, fennel see, cinnamon sticks, salt, stevia, and sherry to the water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Wash the chicken, remove excess fat, and introduce the chicken into the poaching liquid, breast down.
- Turn the heat down sufficiently to produce a slow and steady simmer.
- Simmer the chicken for 15 minutes breast down, 10 minutes breast up, and a further 10 minutes breast down.
- Remove the pot from the heat, cover it, and allow the chicken to cool down in the poaching liquid for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, drain it well, and place it on a cutting board, reserving the poaching liquid for step 10.
- Drizzle sesame oil onto the chicken and use a basting brush to coat the whole chicken with a thin film of the oil.
- Place the mustard powder into a small bowl.
- Add 45 ml (or 3 tablespoons) of the poaching liquid and mix the mustard into a smooth, thick paste.
- Just before serving, cut the chicken into pieces and reassemble it on a serving platter, then strew cilantro over and around it. Accompany the platter with the prepared mustard.
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| Shown here with a sesame vinaigrette salad and my recipe for cold soba, Asian flavor |
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