TEA SMOKED CHICKEN


2 Chicken breasts de-boned, skin removed
1/2 cup uncooked rice (any kind)
1/2 cup sugar (brown or white)
1/8 cup tea, Chinese green, loose leaves
1 stick of cinnamon broken in half
6 to 8 peppercorns
2 star anise (optional)

To tea smoke in your home you will need either a wok, or
deep pot (not non stick) with a tight lid, a rack tall enough
to keep the chicken off the smoke mixture. I have often used
4 chopsticks wedged against the sides to make a # with a cake
rack on top. This works especially well in a wok. You will
need to make a "bowl" out of tinfoil for the smoke mixture.
Place all ingredients except the chicken in the tinfoil bowl
in the bottom of the wok/pot. Put the rack over this. Turn
the flame to high until the mixture begins to smoke. Please
make sure your kitchen is well ventilated. Place the chicken
on the rack along the sides. Turn the heat down to medium or
medium-low. Allow it to smoke for 15-25 minutes depending on
size. If you feel a lot of smoke is escaping you can seal the
edge with tinfoil. When you check the chicken it should be a
light brown color. Allow the smoke mixture to cool and throw
away.