Teochew chestnut chicken

Steam-braised chicken with chestnut and dang gui

Teochew chestnut chicken
1 tablespoon oil
3 big cloves garlic, bruised
2 thick coins of ginger
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 star anise
2 slices dang gui
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
150g light soy sauce
650g water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
180g chestnuts, peeled
20g dried shiitake mushrooms
1 1.6kg chicken
2-3 tablespoons cornstarch (or more if you wish), mixed with a little water to form a slurry
Handful of coriander leaves

Heat oil in a small pot. Add the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and star anise. Stir fry gently until the garlic is slightly brown and spices smell fragrant. Add dang gui, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, water, brown sugar, chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and set aside.

Pat dry the chicken really well with kitchen towels inside and outside. Fill a wok with about 2 inches of oil and heat until 200C. Add the chicken to the wok carefully. Deep-fry, turning once, until the whole chicken is beautifully golden brown. Transfer to kitchen towels to absorb excess oil.

Strain the contents in the pot to separate the chestnut mixture from the liquid. Stuff the chicken with the spices, garlic and ginger, followed by the shiitake mushrooms. Place the chicken in a bowl that fits it comfortably. Add the chestnuts and pour over the liquid. Cover the bowl with foil or a plate. Steam, covered, on low heat for 2 ½ hours.

Tip the liquid in which the chicken cooked in into a pan or pot. Bring to a boil, then add the cornstarch slurry, stirring until thickened. Transfer the chicken and chestnuts to a serving dish. Pour over the sauce and top with coriander. Eat with lots of steaming hot rice!