This Sichuan chicken recipe uses hot bean sauce, which is fermented soya beans mixed with chillies and produces that particular Sichuan Chicken you get at Chinese restaurants and takeouts.
Mix the egg white and cornflour paste and coat the chicken thoroughly with it.
Prepping the Sichuan Peppercorns
Dry roast the sichuan peppercorns on low heat for 2-3 minutes in a frying pan. That means no oil.
Then pound them with a pinch of salt using a pestle and mortar, or in a small chopper. You want a coarse grind.
Let's get Cooking
Heat the oil in a wok on medium heat and fry the drumsticks up in two batches, about 5 minutes each batch, turning the chicken. Don't overcrowd them, you want them frying, not stewing. Set aside. Don't worry too much if the chicken doesn't look quite done, we'll be cooking it further, this is only the browning and crisping stage.
Leave about 1 Tbsp of cooking oil in the wok and sauté the garlic, ginger and chillies on same heat level for a minute.
Return the chicken back into the wok and stir to coat.
Add the hot bean sauce and stir again to coat.
Add the water, pounded sichuan peppers, wine and capsicum and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat right down, and cook, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes more until the chicken is completely done. This extra cooking time also allows the meat to absorb all the flavours. Add more water if necessary.
At the end of cooking time, check seasoning, if you need more salt, add the soy sauce. If you'd like more sauce, add a little more water.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with chives. Perfect with plain boiled rice or with egg fried rice.