SOY-POACHED ROAST CHICKEN

Soy-Poached Roast Chicken image

Provided by Mark Bittman

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

3 cups mushroom soy sauce
3 cups mei kuei lu chiew or any floral off-dry white wine, like gewurztraminer or muscat
2 star anise
1 14-ounce box yellow rock sugar, crushed, or 1 cup white sugar
3 ounces ginger, cut into slices and bruised with side of knife
10 scallions
1 chicken, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds

Steps:

In stockpot or narrow 6-quart pot, combine soy sauce, rice wine, 2 cups water, star anise, sugar and ginger. Bring to rolling boil. Add 6 scallions. Lower chicken gently and slowly into liquid, breast side down.
Bring back to boil, and cook steadily for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, and turn chicken over. Let sit in hot liquid 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, trim and mince remaining scallions and preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Carefully remove chicken from liquid, and put in skillet or roasting pan. Roast 5 minutes, or until nicely browned; keep an eye on it -- it can burn easily. Meanwhile, reheat liquid. When chicken is ready, carve and serve with a few spoonfuls of sauce over it. Put minced scallions into a cup of sauce; pass at table to go over white rice.