Deep-fried chicken halves

8 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 Spring chicken
4 slices Fresh ginger root
3 tablespoons Sherry
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
½ teaspoon Sugar
Oil for deep-frying

Directions

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, .

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