Deep Fried Peking Chicken Celery Sauce Recipes

PEKING-STYLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pare the zest from the orange in thick strips then mix with the soy sauce, sherry and fivespice powder in a large food bag. Bash the garlic cloves and ginger with the back of a knife to bruise them, then add to the bag and give everything a good mix. Put the chicken in the bag, rub the marinade all over the flesh then leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hrs, overnight ideally.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Remove the chicken from the marinade (keep it for later). Halve the orange and put both halves inside the cavity along with the bashed ginger and garlic from the marinade. With the chicken sitting on a rack in the sink, pour a kettleful of boiling water over it. Pat completely dry with kitchen paper. Set the chicken on its wire rack over a roasting tray and roast for 50 mins per kg or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer.
• Strain the marinade into a pan along with the honey. Bring up to the boil then simmer for a couple of mins. Just before serving, turn the oven up as high as it will go. Brush some of the marinade all over the chicken. Return to the oven and cook until the chicken is crisp and browned. This will only take a couple of mins. Leave to rest, uncovered, for 5 mins. Serve with the remaining warmed marinade, some plain rice and bok choi or spinach stirfried with a little garlic and oyster sauce.

PEKING CHICKEN - DEEP-FRIED CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Remove the skin from the chicken.
• Cut the chicken into 8 equal pieces.
• Rub the salt and white pepper over the chicken pieces.
• In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, Chinese rice wine or sherry, 2 of the chopped green onions, minced ginger and sugar.
• Set aside half of the marinade to use later.
• Place the chicken pieces in a large resealable bag.
• Pour in the unreserved marinade.
• Seal and place in the refrigerator. Marinate for 4 to 6 hours, turning occasionally to make sure all of the chicken is covered.
• Heat oil for deep-frying to between 360-375°F.
• While the oil is heating, drain the chicken pieces and discard the marinade used to marinate the chicken.
• Make sure the chicken pieces are quite dry.
• Dredge each of the chicken pieces in the flour.
• Deep-fry the chicken, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil until they are golden brown and crispy.
• Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok.
• Add the minced garlic and the reserved green onion and stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds).
• Add the reserved marinade.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add the deep-fried chicken.
• Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Serve immediately.

DEEP-FRIED PEKING CHICKEN: CELERY SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Slice celery stalks thin. Mince scallions. Place both in a saucepan. 2. Add sherry, soy sauce, oil and stock bring slowly to a boil. 3. Add deep-fried chicken pieces and simmer, covered, to heat through. Remove chicken, leaving liquids in pan. 4. Meanwhile blend cornstarch and cold water to a paste then stir in to thicken. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.