Princess Chicken

1 pound light chicken meat

6 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

4 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, divided

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

6 dried red chilies

3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced ginger

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1. Cut the chicken into cubes. Mix in 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 teaspoons rice wine, and the cornstarch, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
2. Combine the 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice wine, sugar, and the sesame oil, and set aside. Cut the red chilies in half and remove the seeds. Chop and set aside.
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the chicken cubes and stir-fry until they are nearly cooked through. Remove from the wok and drain on paper towels.
4. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the wok. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, ginger, and green onions. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the chilies and cook for 1 minute. Add the sauce in the middle of the wok and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and mix through.

Tea Smoked Chicken

3-pound fryer chicken

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1½ teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

½ green onion, minced

3 tablespoons black tea leaves

½ cup brown sugar

¼ teaspoon Szechwan Salt and Pepper Mix (page 20)

½ cup uncooked rice

1. Wash the chicken and pat dry. Mix together the dark soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and green onion. Rub over the chicken and marinate for 1 hour. Mix together the tea leaves, brown sugar, Szechwan Salt and Pepper Mix, and rice. Set aside.
2. Prepare a bamboo steamer and steam the chicken for about 45 minutes, until it is cooked.
3. Cover the bottom of the wok and the inside of the wok with several layers of aluminum foil. Place the smoking spices at the bottom of the wok. Place a cake rack inside the wok and place the chicken on the rack. Turn the heat up. When smoke appears in a few places (about 10–15 minutes), cover the chicken with the lid and adjust the heat so that the stream of smoke remains steady. Continue smoking until the chicken turns a deep brown (about 15 minutes).

Tea-Smoked Food

There is no need to purchase a wood smoker to make Chinese favorites such as tea smoked duck or chicken. Along with steaming and stir-frying, the versatile wok also functions as a smoker. Chinese cooks make a further departure from traditional smoking methods by using smoking solely to impart flavor to the food, not to cook it. (The food to be cooked is usually steamed or simmered first.) The smoking ingredient of choice in Chinese cooking is tea leaves; black are most popular, although green tea leaves are also used. Other spices and seasonings that may be added to the smoking mix include star anise, and brown or white sugar.