Yield: 8 Servings
| Measure | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 1 \N | Spring chicken |
| 4 slices | Fresh ginger root |
| 3 tablespoons | Sherry |
| 2 tablespoons | Soy sauce |
| ½ teaspoon | Sugar |
| \N \N | Oil for deep-frying |
1. Wipe chicken with a damp cloth. Split bird in two with a cleaver and place both halves side by side in a large, shallow platter.
2. Crush ginger root; then combine with sherry, soy sauce and sugar. Pour over chicken halves and let stand 1 to 2 hours, turning occasionally.
3. Drain chicken, discarding marinade; then blot dry with paper toweling.
Meanwhile heat oil.
4. Using either a colander or long-handled Chinese strainer, suspend one chicken-half over pot. With a soup ladle, baste constantly with hot oil until evenly browned (about 7 minutes). Turn over and brown other side; then drain on paper toweling. Keep warm.
5. Deep-fry second chicken-half in the same manner.
6. With a cleaver, chop each half, bones and all, in 2-inch sections and serve.
NOTE: This kind of frying splatters, so wear a smock or other cover-up.
VARIATIONS:
1. For the ginger root, substitute 2 scallion stalks, minced; or 1 medium onion, chopped.
2. For the mixture in step 2, substitute 2 tablespoons sherry, ½ teaspoon Five Spices, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, ISBN 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, .