Sichuan Saliva Chicken (Kou Shui Ji)

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Ingredients

For Step 1:

• 3 tbsp roasted peanuts, chopped

• 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

• 1 tablespoon red chili flakes or dried red chilis

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup of oil

• 5 cloves garlic, sliced

• 3 green onions

• 4 slices of ginger

• 1½ tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

• 1 small cinnamon stick

• 1 star anise

For Step 2:

• 400-600g chicken thigh or drumstick

• 2 green onions

• 2 slices ginger

For Step 3:

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce

• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• ½ tablespoon sugar

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 tbsp chicken stock

Instructions

Step 1:

• Lightly roast the peanuts and sesame seeds. Finely chop the peanuts then combine in a bowl. Add the chilli flakes then set aside

• Heat the oil over a medium hear, then add the green onions, ginger, star anise, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns and cinnamon stick (don’t use a high heat as these can easily burn). Cook for a while into the flavours have infused the oil and it all smells aromatic

• Discard spices, poor the oil into the peanut/sesame sesame seed mixture, then set aside

Step 2:

• Fill a pot with enough water to submerge the chicken, then bring to boil. Add the chicken, wait until the water boils again (if it stops due to the temperature change), then turn off the heat, and leave to poach for 20 minutes

• Prepare an ice bath. Once 20 minutes have passed, take the chicken out the pot and allow it to fully cool in the bath. Once cooled, slice into long vertical pieces with the skin on top, and place on serving plate

Step 3:

• Take all the ingredients listed in step 3 above and mix them into a bowl. Combine with the peanut and sesame seed mixture in step 2.

• Pour the mixture over the chicken and serve

bon appetit