Ingredients
350 g chicken breast, 50 g each of winter bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, and egg whites, 40 g bean starch, 750 g (about 3 cups) good stock, and an appropriate amount of chicken bones.
Seasonings
500 g (about 1 lb) vegetable oil, 10 g each of dark soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and Shaoxing wine, 2 g salt, 5 g soy sauce.
Instructions
1. Slice the chicken breast into 24 thin pieces, each about 4.5 cm (1.8 inches) long and 2.7 cm (1 inch) wide. Cut the ham, winter bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms into 24 matchstick-sized strips each, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long and 2 cm (0.8 inches) wide. Lay the chicken slices flat, place one strip each of ham, bamboo shoot, and mushroom at one end of each slice, then roll them up tightly into cylinders. Seal the ends with a mixture of egg white and cornstarch, then coat the entire roll with another layer of the egg white-cornstarch mixture.
2. Place a wok over high heat and add vegetable oil, heating it to about 200°C (400°F). Carefully slide the chicken rolls one by one along the edge of the wok and deep-fry until golden brown, then remove. Reheat the wok, line the bottom with chicken bones, and add broth, dark soy sauce, scallions, ginger, cooking wine, light soy sauce, and salt to season and color the liquid. Add the chicken rolls, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken rolls and arrange them in a steaming bowl in a "three-tiered" pattern. Pour the original braising liquid over the chicken, steam in a steamer for about 10 minutes, then remove. Pour the liquid back into the wok, invert the chicken rolls onto a serving plate, thicken the liquid in the wok with a light cornstarch slurry, and pour it over the chicken rolls. This dish is reddish-brown in color, with tender meat and an exceptionally savory flavor.