This is a classic Cantonese chicken dish that my mother often made. The gentlest possible heat is used so that the chicken remains extremely moist and flavorful with a satiny, almost velvetlike texture. The dish is not difficult to make. Save the cooking liquid for cooking rice or use as the base for chicken stock.

Ingredients:
1 chicken, 31⁄2–4lb (1.6–1.8kg), preferably organic
1 tbsp salt
chicken stock or water to cover
6 scallions
6 slices of fresh ginger

Procedure:

1. Rub the chicken all over with the salt, aiming to achieve an even covering.
2. Place the chicken in a large pot, cover with chicken stock or water, and bring to a boil. Add the scallions, ginger slices, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cover the pot tightly and reduce the heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat. Leave the chicken in the pot, still tightly covered, for 1 hour
4. Lift the chicken from the stock and immediately plunge it into a large bowl of ice water to cool quickly and thoroughly.
5. Remove the chicken and drain well. Pat dry with paper towels. Discard the water used for cooling.
6. Place the chicken on a chopping board and cut into bite-sized pieces. Arrange on a platter. Serve the chicken pieces with Cantonese-style dipping sauce (see opposite) alongside

Ingredients:
1½ pounds chicken thighs
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1½ teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger


Procedure:

1. Wash the chicken thighs and pat dry. Remove the skin and make 2 diagonal cuts on each side of the thigh.
2. Mix together the dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, sugar, water, and sesame oil. Place the sauce in a plastic bag. Add the
   chicken, shaking the bag lightly to make sure the sauce coats all the chicken.
3. Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator. Marinate the chicken for 2–3 hours, turning the bag occasionally.
4.  Preheat the oven to 400°F.
5. Remove the chicken thighs from the bag, reserving the sauce. Place the chicken thighs on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
   Pour half of the sauce over, making sure both sides of the thighs are covered. Add the minced garlic and ginger. Bake the thighs for 15
   minutes. Add the remaining half of the sauce and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the thighs are cooked.

Bagging It
Don't have a large enough bag to hold the chicken thighs? Place them on a plate and rub the marinade over, making sure to coat all the
chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2–3 hours. Reserve any leftover marinade to pour over the chicken while baking.

Serves 4–6
Scoring the chicken thighs makes it easier for the marinade to penetrate the meat. This dish tastes delicious served with Snow Pea Stir-fry

Ingredient:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (12–14 ounces)
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2½ green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
½ cup chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon bean sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water

Procedure:

1. Wash the chicken breasts, pat dry, and dice.
2. Mix together the rice wine, soy sauce, and half of a green onion. Marinate the chicken for 1 hour.
3. In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, dark soy sauce, bean sauce, brown sugar, and garlic. Set aside.
4. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the chicken and stir-fry until it is nearly cooked through. Remove from the wok
   and set aside.
5. Add the sauce into the wok. Add the cornstarch-and-water mixture in the middle, stirring vigorously to thicken. Add the chicken, mixing in
   and letting the sauce reduce until it is a glaze. Stir in the 2 sliced green onions.

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Spicy Szechwan Peanut Sauce
1 large dried bean curd sheet
2 small cucumbers
½ teaspoon salt







Procedure:

1. Boil chicken breasts in water for 15–20 minutes. Drain well.
2. Cut the bean curd sheet into 4 squares. Soak the sheet in cold water to soften. Peel the cucumbers and slice, toss with salt, and leave for
3. minutes.
4. Chop the chicken meat into thin slices. Lay the cucumber slices on a plate and top with a bean curd sheet. Top with the chicken and the
   sauce. Serve the remainder of the sauce in a dipping bowl so guests can help themselves.

Serves 4:

• To use Chinese noodles instead of bean curd sheets, cook the noodles according to instructions, drain well, and lay over the cucumber slices.