Black-Skinned Chicken Slow-Cooked in Dark Soy Sauce

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large Spanish onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed
¼ cup Chinese bean paste
2 2- to 2 1/2-pound chickens, head and feet discarded, cleaned and rinsed
1 inch-thick piece of unpeeled ginger, cut into 4 pieces
1 inch-thick piece unpeeled fresh or frozen galangal, smashed
2 Thai bird chilies
½ cup wolfberries or 1/4 cup finely diced dried apricots
¼ cup diced jujubes (also known as hong zao or red dates) or 1/8 cup of dried brown dates, diced
3 cups dark soy sauce
1 cup cola
1 star anise pod
2 cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
1 clove

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
  1398 calories; 86 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 36 grams monounsaturated fat; 19 grams polyunsaturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 114 grams protein; 382 milligrams cholesterol; 11511 milligrams sodium

4 servings

Place a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add oil. When oil is hot, add onion, garlic and bean paste, and sauté until onion is tender.
Add chickens, ginger, galangal, chilies, wolfberries, jujubes, soy sauce and cola. Stir, and add star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and just enough water to cover chickens. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove chickens, cut into serving pieces, and serve with broth ladled over chicken and steamed rice.
If you want a thicker sauce, remove chickens. Cook broth over high heat until it becomes syrupy and glossy, about 20 minutes. If too salty, add a little water. Cut chicken into serving portions, add to sauce, heat through and serve.

Bean paste, chickens, galangal, chilies, wolfberries, jujubes and dark soy sauce can be bought in Chinese food stores.

1 hour 30 minutes