Xinjiang Big Plate Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 1.6kg), chopped through the bone into 4cm pieces
• 3 large potatoes (about 700g), peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 green peppers, cut into rough squares
• 1 red pepper, cut into rough squares
• 1 onion, cut into wedges
• 8 dried red chillies
• 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 3 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 thumb ginger, sliced
• 3 tbsp rock sugar, crushed
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp doubanjiang (broad bean chilli paste)
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 4 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 litre hot water or light chicken stock
• 400g wheat flour
• 200ml cold water
• 5g salt
• 2 tbsp oil, for coating the noodle dough
• Salt to taste

Before you cook

• Rinse the chopped chicken under cold water and drain it well.
• Mix the noodle flour with 5g salt and 200ml cold water, knead for 10 minutes, then divide into 8 pieces, coat in oil, cover and rest for 1 hour.
• Soak the potato chunks in cold water to rinse off surface starch.
• Crush the rock sugar with the flat of a knife if it is in large lumps.

Steps

1. Put the chicken pieces in a pot of cold water, bring to the boil, and skim the foam for 2 minutes.
2. Drain the chicken and rinse it under warm water to wash away any scum.
3. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or wok over medium heat.
4. Add the crushed rock sugar and stir until it melts and turns the colour of amber, which takes 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Tip in the drained chicken and toss it in the caramel until every piece is glossy and browned.
6. Add the doubanjiang and fry for 1 minute until the oil turns red.
7. Add the dried chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, garlic and ginger, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant.
8. Pour in the Shaoxing wine and let it hiss against the hot pan.
9. Stir in the light and dark soy sauces to coat the chicken.
10. Pour in the hot water until the chicken is just covered.
11. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook covered for 25 minutes.
12. Drain the potatoes and add them to the pot, pushing them under the liquid.
13. Simmer uncovered for a further 20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft enough to break at the edges and the sauce has thickened.
14. Add the onion wedges and pepper squares and cook for 5 minutes more so they stay bright and slightly crisp.
15. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt.
16. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
17. Take each rested dough piece, press a groove down the centre with a chopstick, and stretch it into a wide belt about 50cm long.
18. Tear each belt along the groove and drop the noodles into the boiling water.
19. Boil the noodles for 2 minutes, then drain them well.
20. Lay the noodles on a very large warm platter.
21. Pour the chicken and all its sauce over the noodles and bring the whole plate to the table for everyone to share.