Smoked Chicken Beijing Style

This aromatic and delicious dish is as well loved as roast duck, the most famous Beijing dish. It can be eaten hot or cold. Serve with hot rice for an evening meal with soup or stir-fried vegetables. Instead of a whole chicken, separate portions such as quarters or whole legs may be used.

2 TBS whole Sichuan pepper

2 TBS salt

1 small, tender chicken, about 2 pounds, cleaned and wiped dry

1 green onion

3 slices fresh ginger

2 star anise

1 1-inch-long cinnamon stick

1 cup soy sauce

1⁄2 cup sugar

1⁄2 cup flour

1⁄2 cup black tea leaves

2 TBS sesame oil

3 sprigs fresh cilantro for garnish

large sheet of foil

• Over low heat, dry fry the Sichuan pepper and salt in a skillet for 1–3 minutes, until aromatic. Crush this mixture coarsely and rub all over chicken, inside and out.
• Place in a covered container and refrigerate for 5 hours or overnight. In a large pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil.
• Add green onion, ginger, anise, cinnamon, and soy sauce; simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add chicken; let simmer for 10 minutes. Make sure chicken is completely immersed. Take chicken off and let cool. Preheat oven to 3758F.
• In a metal or preferably disposable roasting pan (it will be scorched), lay a large sheet of foil, enough to generously overhang sides of pan. Place sugar, flour, and tea leaves on foil.
• Put the roasting pan over low heat, until the sugar and tea mixture starts to scorch and copiously smoke. It is this smoke that will flavor the chicken. (If you have a smoke alarm, it may be best to do this step outdoors on a barbecue.)
• Place the chicken on a roasting rack over the smoking tea mixture. Bring foil over chicken and fold to seal.
• Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Unwrap chicken, brush with sesame oil, turn over, and return to oven, uncovered.
• Bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until browned. Brush with more sesame oil and cut into 2-inch portions, leaving drumsticks and wings whole.
• Arrange on a serving plate, roughly following the shape of a whole chicken. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro.