红烧鸡腿Red-Braised Chicken Legs

Pat 4 chicken leg quarters completely dry and season all over with 1 tsp kosher salt. Leave it uncovered while you prep.

Slice the aromatics. Separate scallion whites from greens. Keep 2 star anise, 1 cassia or cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves and 3 dried red chilies together in a small bowl.

Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a wide heavy pot over medium. Add 25 g rock sugar and stir until it melts to the color of amber honey. Stay at the pot; it burns in seconds.

Lay the chicken in skin side down, in batches if needed. Leave it until the skin is lacquered deep brown, then brown the other side. Set aside.

Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat. Stir in 8 thick ginger coins, the scallion whites and 5 garlic cloves until the garlic is pale gold.

Add 1 medium yellow onion and cook until the edges turn translucent. Add the spice bowl and stir 30 seconds.

Pour in 60 ml Shaoxing wine and scrape the bottom clean.

Stir in 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 350 ml hot water or unsalted stock and ¼ tsp white pepper. Return the chicken skin side up; the liquid should reach two-thirds of the way up.

Cover and keep at the lowest bubble. Skim any foam early and turn the legs once halfway.

Tuck 2 medium carrots into the liquid, cover, and cook until the carrots are tender and the meat pulls back from the bone.

Uncover, turn the heat to medium and reduce the sauce, spooning it over the legs, until it coats a spoon and shines.

Off the heat, fish out the whole spices and stir in 1 tsp toasted sesame oil. Scatter the scallion greens and let it sit 5 minutes. Serve over rice.