Instructions: Wash chicken but do not dry. Place a wok over high heat. Add chicken, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and star anise to wok. Cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced and sticky. When liquid is almost cooked away, add water. Cover wok, turn heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is very sticky and almost cooked away and chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. If liquid threatens to cook away before chicken is done, add another 1/2 cup water and keep cooking. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve cold.

Notes: Chinese dark soy sauce is sweeter and thicker than regular soy sauce, and some brands are sweeter than others. Helen Li uses Pearl River Bridge brand. If your dark soy sauce has less than 2g sugar per tablespoon, or if you are sensitive to salt, use 3 tablespoons.

Whole star anise, a star-shaped seed pod, is available in Asian and Latino markets. Helen Li, from Juan Jiang

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