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Turbo-Charged Xinjiang Big Plate Chicken
3 hours
30 minutes
4 to 6
Steps
- In a stand-mixer with a dough hook, mix flour, sea salt, and water until a craggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let hydrate for 10 minutes. Start kneading on low-medium speed for 15 minutes until you have a smooth and elastic dough. Transfer to a counter, and roll the dough out into a 8x12-inch sheet, then cut the dough into 16 equal rectangles that is 1-inch wide and 6-inches long. Coat each generously with tapioca starch (better at preventing sticking and improving the texture and sheen of the noodles) and cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge (but bring them back to room-temperature before proceeding).
- 40 minutes to 1 hour before serving, take one piece of the dough and gently slowly stretch it until it doubles in length, or even longer if you can manage without breaking it. Then use the meaty part of your palm to continue to press to flatten and stretch the noodle out thinner and longer, until it’s about 2 ½-feet long and 1-inch wide. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Keep the noodles whole if you like or cut them in half lengthwise for easier serving. Cover and set aside until needed.
- For the chicken:
- With heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut the whole chicken (bone included) down to 1 ½-inch chunks into a large bowl. Toss with extra dark soy sauce, whole dried chilis and dried bay leaves. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- In a tall cup with an immersion blender, blend 2 red bell peppers, doubanjiang, gochugaru and strawberry jam until smoothly puréed, set aside. Mix together coriander, cumin, fennel, Sichuan peppercorns, five spice, black pepper and sand ginger, set aside.
- In a large wok or dutch oven, heat canola oil and sesame oil over high heat. Add the chicken including the dried chili and bay leaves and try to spread them out evenly. Do not move them for 2 minutes to get some proper browning on one side, then turn them, and leave for another 2 minutes so on and so forth, until the chicken is browned on all sides. Add garlic, ginger and red onion, and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the bell pepper purée. Continue to cook and stir until excess moisture has evaporated and the sauce starts to brown slightly on the edges and bottom of the pot. Add shaoxing wine, cook for 1 minute for the alcohol to evaporate, then add chicken stock, fish sauce, chicken powder, mustard, the spice-mixture, and potato chunks. Mix evenly then turn down the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and maintain a gentle boil and cook for another 15 to 20 min until the liquid reduces by a quarter.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the noodles in the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes until all floated to the surface. Drain well and set inside a very large serving platter.
- Lastly, add the red and green jalapeños to the chicken stew and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour the braised chicken over the cooked noodles, and serve immediately.
Originally published at food52.com. Reproduced for personal collection.
