Braised Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients

• 6 large cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup dried fermented black beans
• 3 pounds chicken parts, cut into 2-inch segments with a cleaver or heavy knife
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 quart vegetable, canola, or peanut oil
• 1/2 cup chinese rice wine
• 2 cups low-sodium homemade or store-bought chicken broth
• 3 jalapeños, sliced, or a few dried red chili peppers
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
• 6 scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Chop the garlic and fermented black beans together until the 2 are crushed into a rough paste. Bring the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep fryer, Dutch oven, or wok. Coat the chicken pieces in the cornstarch, then fry them in the hot oil until they turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Lift the chicken out with a slotted strainer. Strain the oil and save it for another use.
2. Set a large wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the used oil. When it begins to smoke, add the garlic and black bean paste and stir-fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Return the chicken to the pan and toss until every piece is coated, about 30 seconds longer.
3. Pour in the rice wine and stock, then add the chilies if you are using them. Bring everything to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the chicken is done, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken out of the pan and set it aside. Turn the heat up to high and boil the sauce uncovered until it reduces to about 1/2 cup. Add salt to taste, spoon the sauce over the chicken, finish with scallions or cilantro, and serve right away.