CHINESE FOIL CHICKEN RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/gas 3.
  2. Get yourself three layers of tin foil, 1-metre long. Place the ribs in the centre, drizzle them with oil and rub all over with the five-spice and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
  3. Seal into a tight parcel and pop onto a tray in the middle of the oven for 3 hours, or until just tender and cooked through.
  4. Meanwhile, for the glaze, peel and slice the onions and put them into a frying pan on a medium heat with a lug of oil and the star anise. Cook for 15 minutes, or until soft and starting to caramelise, stirring occasionally.
  5. Stir in the five-spice for 2 minutes, stir in the rest of the glaze ingredients and leave to bubble away for another 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave to cool a little.
  6. Fish out the star anise, transfer the mixture to a blender and blitz until smooth, loosening with a splash of water, if needed, then pass through a fine sieve so it’s super-super-smooth. Have a taste and season if required.
  7. Trim the spring onions and deseed the chillies, then finely slice both lengthways and put them into a bowl of ice-cold water so they curl up. For a laugh you can randomly score the radishes and pop them into the water for a bit of a naff 80s feel; otherwise, leave them whole or cut them into quarters.
  8. When the time’s up, transfer the ribs to the tray, discarding the foil, and turn the oven up to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
  9. Brush a good layer of glaze over the ribs and return them to the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, then I like to keep brushing on glaze and popping them back into the oven every minute after that for a few more minutes, to build up a really good layer of dark, sticky glaze.
  10. Serve the ribs with a bowl of any leftover glaze for dunking, and with the radishes, chillies and spring onions on the side.
  11. Jamie's Tip: This is definitely an opportunity to have a finger bowl on the side and a tea towel at the ready.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
  2. Stretch out the chicken wings, cut the bingo wings-type skin in the middle, then pop out any joints, if you can, to make them straight (you can poke wooden skewers through the wings to hold them like this, if you like).
  3. Place the wings in a snug-fitting roasting tray (roughly 25cm x 30cm), scatter over the five-spice and a good pinch of salt and toss together until evenly coated. Cover with tin foil and cook for around 50 minutes, or until tender.
  4. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to packet instructions, then drain, spread out on a tray and leave to cool.
  5. Peel the ginger, finely grate into a small bowl and mix with the ketchup, soy sauce and honey to make a glaze.
  6. When the time’s up, remove the foil from the tray, then coat the chicken wings with some of the glaze, and either return them to the oven or pop them under a medium grill (and watch them like a hawk) for a final 30 minutes, or until golden and gnarly, turning and brushing with more glaze every 5 to 10 minutes to use it all up and make them super sticky. Evenly sprinkle over the sesame seeds from a height after adding your last bit of glaze.
  7. When the wings are nearly ready, peel and slice the garlic with the chilli and pak choi, then put them into a large frying pan or wok on a medium heat with a lug of oil. Get them lightly golden, keeping them moving around the pan, then add the rice and let it heat through.
  8. Transfer the tray of wings to the hob, remove the wings to one side and pour 200ml of water into the tray.
  9. Boil and simmer for 5 minutes, scraping up all the sticky bits from the bottom of the tray, then skim any fat off the surface and mix the sauce into the rice.
  10. Push the rice to one side of the pan and crack the egg into the gap. Stir it around so it starts to scramble and cook, then toss through the rice.
  11. Season to perfection and serve with the sticky chicken wings, right away.