5 pieces deboned chicken breast

MARINADE:

1 piece ginger, finger size
2 stalks green onions, cut in half
5 pieces star anise
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. dry sherry wine
1/2 c. water
4 light dashes of white pepper
1/2 c. cornstarch
5 c. vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 tsp. ground brown peppercorns
3 white stalks of green onions, minced
2 tbsp. sesame oil

Put ginger, green onions and star anise between plastic separately and crush with flat blade of a cleaver. Combine soy sauce, wine, water and pepper. Add crushed ginger, green onions and star anise. Put chicken breasts into this marinade and massage for a few minutes. Remove chicken breasts, drain and coat with cornstarch. Place chicken in a bowl with sauce from above and steam over high heat for 20 minutes or until chopstick pierces meat easily. Drain.

Heat oil in a wok to almost smoking point. Turn heat off. Using ladle, immerse chicken in oil until sizzling stops. Turn heat to high and cook chicken for about 4 minutes more. Drain chicken and cut into bite-size pieces. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with ground brown peppercorns. Sprinkle or garnish with white stalks of 3 green onions, minced. Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil very hot and pour over chicken. If extra crispness is desired, after cooking chicken in oil for about 4 minutes (from above), cool chicken and deep-fry again.