Braised Chicken in Potato Mould

A typical chinese dish and it is only the final treatment of this dish that shows an innovative approach, adding potatoes and baking the chicken. The chicken can be cooked well in advance and the dish finished by preparing the potatoes and bakng the assembled dish in the oven.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken about 3 lbs, cut in pieces and deboned

Oil for deep frying

12 fresh shitake mushrooms, quartered(if using dried mushrooms - soak in warm water)

10 button mushrooms , halved

2 1/2 inches ginger, sliced

1 1/2 lb large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise

1 tbsp butter

Marinade

2 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

tbsp oyster sauce

1 egg, lightly beaten

salt and pepper to taste

Sauce

1 tbsp oil

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 whole star anise

1 stick cinnamon about 1 1/2 inches long

1 tsp five-spice powder

3 tbsp oyster sauce

4 tbsp chinese wine

3 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp sugar

2 cups chicken stock

2 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp water

Method:

Combine the marinade ingredients, mix with the chicken and set asde to arinate for 10 minutes. Pat the chicken dry and deep fry in very hot oil until half cooked.

To prepare the sauce, heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan and stir fry the garlic, star anise and cinnamon stick for 1 minute.

Add the deep-fried chicken, both types of mushrooms and ginger. Stir fry for 3 minutes, then add remaining sauce ingredients, except for the cornstarch mixture.

Simer for about 2 minutes and season to taste, then add the blended cornstarch. When the sauce thickens a little, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Pan fry the thinly sliced potatoes with butter and oil until half cooked. Line an oven-prrof bowl with the half-cooked potatoes, making sure they overlap.

Fill with the cooked chicken mixture and cover with remaining potatoes.

Bake in a hot 400f oven for about 5 - 7 minutes.

Unmould and serve hot.

Serves