Sichuan Style Mouthwatering Chicken 🌶 🇨🇳

 

'Mouthwatering chicken' is a literal translation of the name of this dish in Chinese, 'Kou Shui Ji', referring to its appeal, looking so delicious that it makes people drool.  The dish originated in the Sichuan province in southwestern China, known for its cuisine with bold flavours, use of spicy hot chilli peppers and the mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns.  For this recipe, you need chilli oil, which you can make yourself but I recommend the Lao Gan Ma brand available in a jar from the Asian section of the supermarkets.  It has visible chilli flakes and seeds that give it a robust texture and is only moderately spicy.  Bone-in, skin on chicken thighs are poached to preserve their tenderness and clean taste, then drenched in the mouthwatering dressing.  The dish is traditionally eaten cold as an appetiser in a Chinese banquet.  I serve it at room temperature with rice and vegetables as a meal. 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg / 2lb 3 oz chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on
• 4 slices of fresh ginger
• 2 spring onions
• 1 tablespoon Chinese Shaoxin wine
• ¼ cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds

Dressing:

• 4 tablespoons chilli oil
• ¼ cup light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves

METHOD

1. In a small frying pan, toast the peanuts under low heat until lightly brown.  When cool, crush peanuts inside a plastic bag with a polling pin.  Toast the sesame seeds in the same pan until aromatic.  Set them aside.
2. Prepare the dressing by combining all ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well.
3. In a large saucepan, place chicken thighs, spring onions, ginger and wine.  Add enough water to just cover the chicken pieces.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer for about 8 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let the chicken rest in the poaching liquid, covered, for 20 minutes.
4. Transfer the chicken thighs to cool in a large bowl of iced water for about 10 minutes. 
5. With a filleting knife, debone each thigh by cutting along the length of its bone with the thigh skin side down, then around the cartilages of the bone's ends to remove. Slice each thigh into 4-5 pieces, keeping the skin attached to the meat as much as possible.  Arrange the chicken neatly on a platter.  Reserve the poaching liquid for other uses.
6. Pour the dressing over the chicken.  Garnish with peanuts and sesame seeds.