Recipe#25383

Title: Braised Chicken Drumsticks

Soar

Yield: 8 servings
 
      8    Chicken fryer drumsticks
           Cornstarch for dredging
      3 c  Oil for deep-frying
      1 c  Dried chestnuts
      1    Five-spice bouquet (OR
      1 tb Five-spice powder)
      4 c  Cold water
    1/2 c  Dark soy sauce
    1/2 c  Rock sugar
    1/2 c  Medium sherry
    1/2 ts Salt
 
  Preparation:  At least 12 hours before cooking this
  dish, rinse several times then soak dried chestnuts.
  After soaking, remove pieces of skin wedged in nutmeat.
  
  Deep-frying:  In wok or suitable pan, slowly heat
  deep-frying oil; oil is ready when bubbles quickly
  form around chopstick held vertically in oil.
  Meanwhile, dredge drumsticks in cornstarch; shake off
  excess starch. Deep- fry drumsticks 2 at a time until
  brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from oil; drain.
  
  Red-cooking:  Pour water in sandy pot or comparable
  casserole dish; add 5- spice bouquet, soy sauce,
  sherry & salt (5-spice powder can be substituted,
  though the final flavor will be less distinctive).
  Slowly bring to boil, reduce heat, cover pot & simmer
  15 minutes. Remove cover; discard bouquet; add salt &
  rock sugar; dissolve rock sugar. You can stop here
  until near serving time.
  
  About 30 minutes before serving time, add drumsticks &
  soaked chestnuts to hot red-cooked sauce.  Simmer in
  covered pot for 15 minutes; remove cover; simmer for
  another 15 minutes. Sauce should have reduced by about
  1/3, and become bright & thick.
  
  To serve, prop drumsticks up around sides of sandy
  pot; spear chestnuts with sate sticks or long
  toothpicks.