CHICKEN: Any fan of stew chicken would enjoy the addition of lemon that gives a citrus favour to the meat.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH LEMON:



1 whole chicken, about 3 ½-4 lbs in weight

1 large lemon, sliced

10 shallots or 1 medium onion, sliced

cooking oil for deep-frying

2-3 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

½ tbsp. tapioca starch mixed with 1 tbsp. water


sauce ingredients:

4 tbsp. brown sugar or 5 oz. rock sugar
½ cup dark soy sauce
3 tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry
1 tsp. alt
1 cup water


Rinse and pat dry chicken. Rub salt to taste all over skin and inside cavity. Let stand 30 minutes. Rub chicken skin with soy sauce and let stand 10-15 minutes more.

In wok or large saucepan, heat enough oil for deep-frying until very hot. Add chicken carefully into hot oil. Deep-fry until skin is golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Pour off all but 2 tbsp. oil from pan. Reserve cooked oil for other uses. Heat remaining oil over high heat until very hot, add shallots or onion and cook 2-3 minutes. Add sauce ingredients and cook together until boiling. Return chicken to pan and add lemon slices. Bring back to boil, cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low and cook chicken for 20 to 30 minutes, or until desired doneness, turning chicken over once or twice during cooking.

Remove chicken and cut into serving pieces. Place onion or shallot in the bottom of a serving platter. Arrange chicken pieces into original chicken shape, and place lemon slices over chicken. Add starch solution into hot cooking liquid in pan. Bring to a boil and cook until sauce is thickened, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over chicken to serve.