Ingredients
1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg / 3 lb)
Seasonings
Shaoxing wine, to taste.
Marinade
Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, dried tangerine peel, cinnamon, ginger, and black cardamom, each to taste.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Sugar, white vinegar, Zhejiang vinegar, cornstarch, water chestnut flour, and baijiu (Chinese liquor), each to taste.
Seasonings
Salt, Sichuan peppercorns, and five-spice powder, each to taste.
Instructions
1. Wash the chicken thoroughly, then rub the cavity evenly with Shaoxing wine.
2. Place the poaching spices in a cloth bag, add 10 cups of water and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, then remove the bag, add salt, Shaoxing wine, and the chicken, and cook over low heat until the chicken skin puffs up, then remove.
3. Mix the sweet and sour sauce well, then place it in a double boiler and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and brush it evenly over the chicken. Rub the seasonings inside the chicken cavity, then hang the chicken in a well-ventilated area. Once the skin is slightly dry, brush on another layer of the sweet and sour sauce. Repeat this process 4-5 times, and finally let the chicken air-dry completely until the skin is fully dry.
4. Heat a generous amount of oil until boiling, then deep-fry the chicken until golden brown; once the drumstick meat begins to shrink, it is cooked—remove, chop into pieces, and plate. Crispy Fried Chicken is a signature Cantonese dish, known for its crispy skin and tender meat, and is an essential dish at birthday banquets and celebratory feasts.