CHICKEN CARCASS WITH BROWN BEAN SAUCE

Chicken Carcass With Brown Bean Sauce image

Provided by Robert Farrar Capon

Time 15m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

2 raw chicken carcasses (or 6 backs)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons sake or dry sherry
1 teaspoon peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cornstarch
Peanut oil for frying
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 slice fresh ginger, minced
10 dried Chinese black mushrooms, soaked in hot water 15 minutes
1/2 cup diced bamboo shoots and quartered (see note)
1 large green pepper, diced
1 cup hot chicken stock
1 tablespoon brown bean sauce, or to taste (see note)
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons cold water
Hot sesame oil to taste (see note)

Steps:

Chop carcasses or backs into inch squares and place in bowl. Add soy sauce, sake, peanut oil, sugar and black pepper and mix well. Add cornstarch little at a time, mixing well, until pieces are uniformly coated. (Coating should have consistency of very heavy cream.) Drop pieces one at a time into hot (375-degree) oil and deep-fry until a golden brown. Remove, drain and reserve.
Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil to hot wok and heat until almost smoking. Add mushrooms, bamboo and green pepper and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add stock and brown bean sauce, cover and boil a minute.
Thicken mixture discreetly with some cornstarch solution. Add reserved chicken pieces and heat through. Turn off heat, add hot sesame oil, stir well and serve with plain boiled rice.