Cook Asian-Style Chicken

Credit: Tea Association of Canada

Ingredients

21/2- to 3-lb. (1- to 11/2 kg) chicken
2 T/30 mL rice wine
1 tsp./5 mL salt
3 green onions, chopped
2 slices ginger root (smashed)
11/2 tsp./7 mL Szechuan peppercorns
1/2 cup/125 mL black tea leaves
2 T/30 mL brown sugar
1 tsp./5 mL anise seed
1 T/15 mL sesame oil

Rub rice wine and salt over chicken and inside cavity. Place green onions, ginger and peppercorns inside. Let chicken marinate 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.

Place chicken, breast side up, in a heat-proof bowl or on a plate. Place in bamboo steamer and cover.

Fill wok with 2 inches of water. Heat until boiling.

Place the steamer in wok. Cover. Steam 30 minutes over high heat; add more water if necessary. Remove chicken.

Line wok and lid with heavy foil. Combine tea leaves, brown sugar and anise seed, place in bottom of wok or pot.

Place a rack or two chopsticks, crisscrossed, in wok and place the chicken on rack. Chicken should be 2 inches above the tea-sugar mixture. Cover the pot securely. Place over medium heat. After 5 minutes the tea mixture should begin to smoke.

Smoke chicken for 15 minutes, turning once. Turn off the heat. Let the chicken sit covered for 10 minutes. Remove chicken. Brush the skin with sesame oil.

Cut chicken into serving-size pieces, discard the green onions, ginger and peppercorns.

Serve with rice or noodles and stir-fried broccoli. Serves 4.