👨🍳 烹饪步骤
1. Preparation & Marination
Wash the chicken to remove any blood and chop it into large bite-sized pieces. Marinate with 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp cooking wine, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, a pinch of white pepper, and ginger julienne. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water (do not discard the soaking water). Peel and chop the potatoes into chunks. Cut the green and red peppers into large pieces. Prepare scallions, ginger slices, and garlic cloves.
💡 Tip: Do not blanch fresh chicken. Blanching causes a massive loss of flavor and makes the meat tough. Washing it well and pan-frying it later is enough to remove any unwanted odors while maximizing the flavor.
2. Pan-fry the Chicken
Heat oil in a wok and sprinkle a little salt (this prevents sticking). Add the marinated chicken into the hot pan. Stir-fry over medium heat to evaporate the moisture until the chicken turns golden brown on both sides.
3. Aromatics & Yellow Soybean Paste (Crucial Step)
Push the chicken to one side of the wok. In the remaining oil, add 1 tbsp of rock sugar, aromatics (scallion, ginger, garlic, dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, 2 star anise, and 2 bay leaves). Stir until the sugar melts and the spices become fragrant.
Clear a small space in the oil and add 2 tbsp of Yellow Soybean Paste (Huangdoujiang). Fry the paste until aromatic, then add 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, and 2 tbsp rice wine. Toss everything together so the chicken is beautifully coated.
💡 Tip: "Yellow Braising" (Huang Men) is a traditional Shandong cooking technique. "Yellow" refers to the yellow soybean paste (which must be fried to release its full aroma), and "Braising" refers to the technique of pan-frying the meat before slow-cooking it.
4. Braising
Pour hot boiling water into the wok. Add a pinch of white pepper and 1 tsp of salt. Toss in the soaked mushrooms along with a bowl of the mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes (or use a pressure cooker for 10 minutes).
Note: Taste the broth at this point; it should be slightly salty so the chicken absorbs the flavor properly.
5. Clay Pot Finishing
Place the potato chunks at the bottom of a clay pot (or continue in the wok). Transfer the braised chicken and all its broth into the pot. Simmer for another 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender (you can add a few drops of dark soy sauce for a deeper color if desired).
Finally, add the green and red bell peppers. Turn up the heat to reduce the sauce, but keep it gently bubbling uncovered for about 2 minutes. Make sure to leave enough of the rich sauce—it’s absolutely incredible when mixed with steamed rice!