Chinese Restaurant-Style Orange Chicken
From: Russell S. Finn
Source: Chong Yet Yin Restaurant, Mt. Airy, MD
Mt. Airy Courier-Gazette, 12/15/93

My wife did a story for a local newpaper on the town's only Chinese restaurant, and got this recipe from the chef. So more that just "restaurant-style"...

When demonstrating this dish, [the chef] used the leg joints from a 7 lb. chicken. If you've got a 7 lb. chicken, fine. If not, just use what you've got. Whatever you use, bone the leg joints (dark meat gives a better flavor) and cut into large chunks about the size of golf balls. It's better to make them slightly bigger than smaller -- you need 12 to 15 pieces.

Coating for frying:

To 1/2 cup of water add
1 cup cornstarch
1 egg
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
pinch salt

Mix thoroughly and coat chicken. Let marinate at least 15 min. Mixture should be thin enough to coat chicken evenly but still stick to chicken when lifted up. Heat oil in pot you would normally use to deep fry food. [The chef] urges you to take precautions when you deep fry anything to avoid being burned by hot oil. Heat oil to about 320 degrees; chunks should be submerged so you might want to fry in batches. An old trick to test the oil is to hold a wooden chopstick against the side of the pot under the surface of the oil. When tiny bubbles stream from the tip of the chopstick the oil is ready. Fry for 5 min. on high heat then turn to low for 10 min. When done the chunks will float to the top and be a light golden brown.

In frying pan, heat 1/2 teaspoon oil and stir in:
3 Szechuan dried peppers, cut in half
5 pieces dried orange peel, about 1/2 big orange (peel an orange and let the peel dry for a couple days)
2 scallion bulbs chopped coarse

Stir for 30 seconds or so, then add 2 cloves crushed garlic.

Add:
1/2 cup special restaurant sauce (recipe follows)
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 Tbsp white vinegar
8 Tbsp sugar
8 Tbsp cornstarch and water mixture

Mix in chicken chunks and let them coat thoroughly. You're done! Eat and enjoy.

Special restaurant sauce:

1 1/2 tsp minced ginger
1 1/2 tsp fresh garlic
1 1/2 tsp finely sliced scallion
3 Tbsp white wine
3/4 tsp vinegar
3 Tbsp mushroom soy (light or low salt soy sauce is fine)
3/4 tsp oyster sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
Sprinkle of white pepper