Paper-wrapped Chicken

The wind-dried sausage in this dish makes the chicken, already highly seasoned in the marinade, even spicier and richer in taste.

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Chicken

Chinese

Ingredients

the rest of the chicken (or 6 drumsticks or thigh pieces), over 2 pounds (900 grams)		3 tablespoons thin soy sauce, for marinade
12 small or 6 large dried Chinese mushrooms, reconstituted		2 teaspoons sugar, for marinade
4 to 6 ounces (115 to175 grams) canned bamboo shoots		2 teaspoons Shaohsing wine or medium-dry sherry, for marinade
6 wind-dried Chinese sausages, liver or pork or both		1 teaspoon ginger powder, for marinade
24 pieces greaseproof paper, each 8 inches (20 centimeters) square		1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder, for marinade
24 large pieces coriander leaves (optional)		1 tablespoon sesame oil, for marinade
peanut or corn oil for deep-frying

directions

Total:

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1
Skin and bone the drumsticks and thighs. Discard the pinions of the wings and chop each wing into 3 pieces. Scrape out the 2 oysters. Put into a bowl.
2
Add the soy sauce, sugar, wine or sherry, ginger, five-spice powder and oil to the chicken. Mix well. Let marinate for a minimum of 1 hour, turning the pieces occasionally.
3
Squeeze out excess water from the mushrooms but leave damp. Halve if small ones are used, quarter if large ones are used.
4
Slice the bamboo shoots into 24 pieces, each 1/5 inch (5 millimeters) thick.
5
Rinse the Chinese sausages and pat dry. Slice each diagonally into 8 pieces, making a total of 48.
6
About 10 minutes before the wrapping, add the mushrooms and bamboo shoots to the chicken, so that they can absorb some of the marinade.
7
Using a brush, thoroughly oil one side of 1 square of greaseproof paper. Put on a plate or work surface at an angle, like a diamond, and layer on it 1 piece of chicken between 2 slices of Chinese sausage, then 1 piece of bamboo shoot, and, finally, 1 piece of mushroom with a coriander leaf on top.
8
To wrap in the classic Chinese way, fold the bottom flap up toward the center, then fold the 2 side flaps inward on top of each other and finally fold the top flap down and tuck it squarely inside the opening. Repeat this process until all have been wrapped.
9
Half fill a wok or deep fryer with oil. Heat to a temperature of 350° to 375°F (180° to 190°C), or until a cube of stale bread browns in 50 to 60 seconds. Slip 12 parcels into the oil, unsealed side down, and deep-fry for about 5 minutes if you like the chicken just done, or for about 8 minutes if you like it much more cooked and slightly charred. Turn them over for the last minute of cooking.
10
Remove with a large hand strainer and, holding it carefully above the oil, let excess oil from the parcels drain back into the wok or deep fryer. Put the parcels on a warm serving plate. Reheat the oil and deep-fry the remainder as before.
11
Serve hot. As soon as the fingers can stand the heat, open a parcel and savor its contents.

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Paper-wrapped Chicken

Ingredients

directions