Authentic Xinjiang Big Plate Chicken

Take 1 rooster (approx. 3000g). Chop off head and feet with a cleaver, split from back to remove organs, and wash clean. Peel neck skin and carefully discard lymph nodes and trachea. Chop off claws, then cut chicken into uniform large chunks (approx. 4cm).

Place chopped chicken into a large bowl and add 1000ml rice washing water. Knead and rub chicken with both hands for 2 minutes to wash out residual blood and gamey odors until water turns reddish cloudy, then lift chicken out and squeeze dry.

Spread squeezed chicken on a tray, sprinkle 3g salt, and rub with hands continuously for 1 minute to season. Add 30g cornstarch and mix thoroughly until a thin starch layer coats each chicken piece.

In a bowl combine 2 star anise, 5g cinnamon bark, 3g green Sichuan pepper, 3g red Sichuan pepper, 1 seeded black cardamom, 2g angelica root, 5g galangal, 1 bay leaf, 2g white pepper, and 5g fennel seeds. Rinse with 200ml water and soak 5 mins. Wrap spices in cheesecloth, place in bowl, pour 800ml boiling water, cover and cool to make spice tea. Soak 30g snipped dried chilies in 200ml water for 5 mins, then squeeze seeds and excess water out.

Peel and cut 3 yellow potatoes (500g) into rolling chunks. Cut 100g green pepper and 50g red pepper into small pieces, 50g scallions into rings, crush 30g garlic, crush and chop 30g ginger, and slice 1 onion (150g) and shake loose in a bowl. Mix 40g light soy sauce with 30g oyster sauce in a small bowl. Crush 20g yellow rock sugar into fine pieces with a cleaver blade.

Heat wok over high, add 50g cooking oil. Turn to low heat when oil reaches 120°C, add 20g crushed rock sugar, and stir gently until melted into dense yellow bubbles. Immediately pour in marinated 3000g chicken pieces, turn heat to high, and stir-fry for 3 minutes until chicken skin tightens, browns nicely, and renders oil.

Once chicken renders oil, add 30g crushed garlic, 30g ginger, 30g soaked dried chilies, and half of the scallion rings (25g). Stir-fry over medium-low heat for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in 10g dark soy sauce and stir-fry until chicken develops a deep red-brown luster.

Once scallions soften, pour in the prepared 800ml spice water (including spice pouch) and 70g mixed soy-oyster sauce. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, then adjust to medium heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes to infuse chicken with spice flavors.

After 15 minutes of simmering, stir in 500g cut potato chunks and drizzle 20g scallion oil to prevent potato starch from clouding soup. Cover and simmer over medium heat for another 15 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Taste midway and stir in 5g salt to adjust seasoning.

When potatoes are tender, stir in remaining 25g scallions and 150g red/green pepper chunks. Stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute until tender-crisp. Add 150g sliced onions and drizzle 15g scallion oil (bright oil). Toss quickly for 5 seconds to make gravy glossy, then pour over pre-cooked belt noodles on a large platter.

In a mixing bowl, pour 300g water and dissolve 10g salt. Add 500g high-gluten flour and knead thoroughly with hands into a firm rough dough. Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 25 minutes at room temperature.

Grease cutting board with 10g oil. Place dough on board and press repeatedly with knuckles and fold for 5 minutes until smooth. Cover and rest a second time for 20 minutes. Coat dough with 5g oil, roll into a thick long log, pinch into small portions, shape into flat strips, place on tray, coat with 10g oil, and seal for 10 minutes.

Coat board with oil. Take an oiled dough strip and push/stretch with palms into a flat, wide, long belt noodle. Bring 2000ml water to a rolling boil, drop stretched noodles into boiling water, and cook over high heat for 90 seconds until translucent. Scoop out with a skimmer, cool in 1000ml cold boiled water, drain, and layer on the bottom of a large platter.