Cantonese Crispy Chicken (炸子鸡)

"In Canton there is a very famous restaurant, Bun Kai, also called Pan Xi, that has been in business since I was a young girl. I remember being taken there by my aunts, and I also remember that one of my favorite dishes there was Jah Ji Gai. On a recent visit to Canton I went to the restaurant, and one of Canton’s, and China’s, more famous chefs, Fan Hawn Hung (referred to in his kitchen as Uncle Number Seven), shared his recipe for this crisp chicken dish with me. It is a dish that finds its way to most Cantonese banquets. I have modified his recipe slightly to suit the Western kitchen, but essentially it is his, and it is delicious."  ~ Eileen Yin-fei Lo (Cookbook: "Eileen Yin-fei Lo's New Cantonese Cooking")

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds
• 3 pieces eight-star anise
• ¼ whole dried tangerine peel
• 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 inches long
• 1 slice ginger, 1 inch thick, slightly smashed
• 10 cups cold water
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 whole nutmeg

TO COAT CHICKEN, MIX IN A BOWL:

• 1 tablespoon honey melted with 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1 teaspoon Shao-Hsing wine or sherry
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon cornstarch

Also need: 6 cups peanut oil for frying

1. Clean the chicken: remove all fat and membranes and wash with cold water. Sprinkle salt on the outside of the chicken and rub well into the skin. Rinse under cold running water. The chicken must be drained of all excess water. Place the chicken in a large strainer, in a seated position, and place strainer over a bowl, to drain.
2. Combine all the ingredients from the anise to the nutmeg in a large pot (an oval Dutch oven preferred) and bring to a boil. Cover pot, lower heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Turn up heat to high and bring to a boil again, then place the chicken in pot, breast side up. Cover. When pot begins to boil, lower heat immediately and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over and repeat this process.
4. Turn off heat and allow the chicken to sit for 10 minutes with pot cover on. Then remove chicken, and discard all ingredients from the pot. Place the chicken on a cake rack that has been set on a large platter. As it drains, pierce the chicken with a cooking fork to help the process.
5. With a pastry brush, coat the chicken thoroughly with the coating mixture. Allow the coated chicken to dry thoroughly, about 6 hours. During this period turn the chicken, being careful not to disturb the coating, several times. (The use of an electric fan can reduce the drying period to about 3 hours.)
6. Heat wok over high heat for 1 minute. Add the peanut oil and heat to 375°F. Using a large Chinese strainer, lower the chicken into the oil, breast side up, and deepfry for 3 minutes. Use a ladle to pour the oil over the chicken to ensure uniformity of frying. Turn the chicken over by inserting a wooden spoon into its cavity, then fry for another 3 minutes, ladling the oil over as before. Repeat until the whole chicken is golden brown.
7. 
   
8. Tum off heat. Remove the chicken and allow to drain, then place on a chopping board and chop into small, bite-size pieces and serve immediately with roasted spice salt.

Recipe Source: https://app.ckbk.com/recipe/cant15197c08s001r001/cantonese-crispy-chicken