Tangerine Chicken
Serves 6.
Ingredients
1 x 1.5 kg/3 lb roasting chicken or 1 kg/2 lb chicken thigh fillets
2 tangerines or mandarins*
1 teaspoon Szechwan pepper
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
3 tablespoons tangerine juice or orange juice
3 tablespoons Chinese wine or sherry
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil
Directions
Cut chicken in pieces. Remove the zest of one of the tangerines and cut into fine strips. Squeeze the juice, strain and reserve. Peel the second tangerine, divide into segments, peel and set aside for garnishing. Roast Szechwan pepper, crush to a powder.
Heat oil in a wok and on low heat fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add the chicken and toss over high heat until the colour changes. Sprinkle with the Szechwan pepper, add tangerine juice, wine or sherry and soy sauce. Cover and cook until chicken is just tender. Just before serving stir in the sesame oil.
* If tangerines are not in season, use 3 or 4 pieces of dried tangerine peel, soaked in a little warm water or Chinese wine until soft. Cut into fine shreds and add while simmering the chicken.
Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)