Red-Cooked Chicken (Hong Shao Ji)

Ingredients

• 1 (3 1/2-lb.) chicken, backbone removed
• 1 cup shaoxing jiu (Chinese rice wine)
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt
• 3 scallions, roughly chopped
• 1 (2") piece ginger, peeled and cut into "coins"
• 3 Tbsp. peanut oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 whole star anise
• 2 fresh green or red thai chiles, stemmed and chopped
• 1 (3") cinnamon stick
• 1 (3") piece dried tangerine peel or other citrus peel, softened in warm water
• 1⁄4 cup mushroom-flavored dark soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. roughly chopped Chinese rock sugar
• 1 1⁄2 tsp. cornstarch