Braised Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preparation: At least 12 hours before cooking this dish, rinse several times then soak dried chestnuts.
2. After soaking, remove pieces of skin wedged in nutmeat.
3. 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.
4. Meanwhile, dredge drumsticks in cornstarch; shake off excess starch.
5. Deep- fry drumsticks 2 at a time until brown, about 5 minutes.
6. Remove from oil; drain.
7. 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).
8. Slowly bring to boil, reduce heat, cover pot & simmer 15 minutes.
9. Remove cover; discard bouquet; add salt & rock sugar; dissolve rock sugar.
10. You can stop here until near serving time.
11. About 30 minutes before serving time, add drumsticks & soaked chestnuts to hot red-cooked sauce.
12. Simmer in covered pot for 15 minutes; remove cover; simmer for another 15 minutes.
13. Sauce should have reduced by about 1/3, and become bright & thick.
14. To serve, prop drumsticks up around sides of sandy pot; spear chestnuts with sate sticks or long toothpicks.