Mouth-watering chicken (Kou Shui Ji, 口水鸡)

Method11 steps · about 35 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash and halve the poaching scallion (1 stalk). Put all three raw chicken legs, that halved stalk, five ginger slices and all 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine in a pot. Add enough water to immerse the chicken. Keep the separate garnishing scallion for the final dish.

   Uses 3 raw skin-on bone-in chicken legs · 1 stalk scallion, washed and halved in step 1 · 5 slices ginger for poaching · 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine · Water to wash the poaching scallion and fully immerse the chicken

2. 2

   Step 2: Bring the assembled chicken pot to a full boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes; start the timer only after the full boil and heat reduction. Toast the peanuts in step 5 while the chicken cooks.

   Simmer the chicken, covered, for 10 minutes · 10 minUses The complete chicken and aromatic-water pot

3. 3

   Step 3: Take the pot off the heat and keep the lid on for a further 10 minutes so retained heat continues cooking the chicken. Then check the thickest part of each leg reaches at least 74°C / 165°F, avoiding the bone; return to a simmer if needed before cooling. Keep the poaching broth for the measured sauce draw in step 7.

   Keep the chicken in its covered hot broth for 10 minutes · 10 minUses All the chicken and aromatic broth in the pot

4. 4

   Step 4: Lift only the fully cooked legs from the poaching pot into a separate bowl of fresh cold water, ideally with ice cubes. Leave for 10 minutes to cool, then lift out and drain. Keep the poaching broth separate from this cooling water. Refrigerate the drained cooked chicken promptly if not assembling immediately.

   Cool the fully cooked chicken in cold water for 10 minutes · 10 minUses All three fully cooked chicken legs, lifted without the broth or aromatics · Fresh cold water for the cooling bath · Ice cubes for the chicken cooling bath, optional

5. 5

   Step 5: While the chicken cooks, put all 2 tbsp skinless raw peanuts in a cold dry wok. Toast over low heat, stirring, until lightly browned. Transfer them out of the hot wok.

   Uses 2 tbsp skinless raw peanuts for dry toasting; the source also permits cashews

6. 6

   Step 6: Let the toasted peanuts cool, then crush them into small pieces. Keep them dry and separate from the sauce until assembly.

   Uses All toasted peanuts

7. 7

   Step 7: Measure 60 ml of clear broth from the cooked chicken pot, avoiding its spent ginger (1 tsp) and scallion. Cool this small portion promptly, then mix it with all the minced ginger, minced garlic (1 tbsp), light soy sauce (1 tablespoon), black rice vinegar (1 tablespoon), ½ tsp toasted sesame oil, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp sugar and 1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper. Refrigerate any remaining poaching broth promptly for another use.

   Uses 60 ml clear poaching broth, avoiding the spent ginger and scallion · 1 tsp minced ginger for sauce · 1 tbsp minced garlic for sauce · 1 tablespoon light soy sauce · 1 tablespoon black rice vinegar · ½ tsp toasted sesame oil for sauce · ¼ tsp salt for sauce, or to taste · ¼ tsp sugar for sauce

8. 8

   Step 8: Carefully remove all bones from the cooled legs and slice the edible skin and meat into strips 1–2 cm wide. Discard bones and any inedible scraps.

   Uses All drained cold chicken legs, without cooling water

9. 9

   Step 9: Pour all the mixed sauce into a serving plate and arrange all the edible chicken strips in it.

   Uses All mixed sauce · All edible chicken strips

10. 10

    Step 10: Wash and finely chop the separate garnishing scallion (1 stalk). Scatter all the crushed toasted peanuts and that chopped scallion over the chicken plate; the spent poaching scallion stays out.

    Uses The whole chicken-and-sauce plate · All crushed peanuts · 1 stalk scallion, washed and finely chopped for garnishing · Water for washing the separate garnishing scallion

11. 11

    Step 11: Strain the ready-made Sichuan chilli oil (60 ml) to remove chilli flakes, then measure and pour 60 ml clear red oil over the chicken. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds as desired and serve cold as three portions. For advance preparation, refrigerate the cooked chicken, sauce and nuts separately for up to 3 days, and assemble just before serving.

    Uses The complete garnished plate · 60 ml ready-made Sichuan chilli oil, measured after straining out chilli flakes · Toasted sesame seeds