La Zi Ji

Before you start

• Prepare the chilies.

  Using kitchen scissors, snip the dried chilies in half and shake them vigorously in a colander over the sink to remove the loose seeds, which will burn and turn the oil bitter if left in the wok.

Ingredients

• boneless skinless chicken thighs1 lb
• light soy sauce1 tbsp
• Shaoxing cooking wine1 tbsp
• salt1/2 tsp
• ground white pepper1/4 tsp
• egg white1 large
• cornstarch2 tbsp
• neutral cooking oil1/3 cup
• dried red chilies1 1/2 cup
• whole red Sichuan peppercorns2 tbsp
• fresh ginger1 med
• garlic4 med cloves
• scallions4 med
• white sugar1/2 tsp
• toasted white sesame seeds1 tbsp
• toasted sesame oil1 tsp
• white rice vinegar1 tsp

Method

1. 01

   Marinate the chicken.

   Place the cubed chicken in a bowl with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, salt, and white pepper, massaging the liquids into the meat with your hands until fully absorbed. Add the egg white and cornstarch, massaging again until every piece is coated in a thin, tacky batter, then let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.

2. 02

   Shallow-fry the chicken.

   Heat a wide, flat-bottomed wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add the neutral oil. Once the oil is shimmering hot, carefully spread the marinated chicken into a single, even layer.

3. 03

   Sear undisturbed.

   Do not touch the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes to allow a deep, golden-brown crust to form. Once the bottom is crispy, use a spatula to flip the pieces and stir-fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until browned all over and cooked through, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate.

4. 04

   Bloom the spices over medium-low heat.

   Pour off most of the oil from the pan, leaving exactly 2 tablespoons in the wok, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and toast for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the de-seeded dried chilies and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the oil takes on a reddish-orange hue and the chilies darken slightly.

5. 05

   Add the aromatics.

   Stir in the sliced ginger, garlic, and the white parts of the scallions, cooking for 30 seconds until deeply aromatic.

6. 06

   Bring it all together.

   Crank the heat to high, dump the crispy chicken back into the wok, and toss vigorously so the spicy, numbing oil coats the meat. Sprinkle in the sugar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and the dark green scallion tops, tossing for 15 seconds, and finish with a drizzle of white vinegar down the hot side of the wok to create a burst of bright steam.

7. 07

   Serve immediately.

   Transfer the entire contents of the wok to a large platter and remind your guests to hunt for the chicken and leave the chilies.

Notes

• The hide-and-seek rule.

  You do not eat the chilies in this dish. They are there strictly to perfume the oil, so use your chopsticks to dig through the mountain of red peppers to find the savory nuggets of chicken.

• The science of Ma La.

  The signature flavor of Chongqing is Ma La—Ma meaning numbing, and La meaning spicy. If your lips feel like they're buzzing with static electricity, congratulate yourself; you successfully sourced good quality Sichuan peppercorns.

• Why sugar?

  Authentic Sichuan recipes almost always feature a tiny amount of sugar in fiercely spicy dishes to mask the natural bitterness of toasted chilies and round out the sharp spikes of capsaicin.

• Save the leftover chilies.

  Don't throw away the glorious, oil-soaked dried chilies left on the platter. Blitz them in a spice grinder with a pinch of salt to create a phenomenal custom chili flake for your eggs or noodles.