(4 servings)

3 lb Fryer
6 lb Rock salt
Parchment paper
1/4 c Peanut oil
1 ts Salt
3 tb Dark soy sauce
1 Whole star anise
2 tb Sherry
1 tb Fresh ginger, minced
1 tb Garlic, minced
2 Green onions, chopped

Preparation: Wash chicken & pat dry. Swab cavity with sherry; stuff with ginger, garlic & green onions; seal with clip or string. Rub outside of chicken with dark soy sauce; allow to stand until soy sauce is absorbed. Wrap chicken in 3 layers of parchment paper, tie with string, coat outer layer with peanut oil.
Baking: In wok or large pot, heat rock salt, stirring periodically, until it begins to brown. Place wrapped chicken in rock salt, spooning some salt around sides & over top. Cook for about 10 minutes. Turn over chicken, cover with rock salt (but always have at least 2" layer of salt under chicken) & cook for another 10 minutes. This cooking time will give a moist, slightly underdone chicken. Increase baking time to 15 minutes on each side, for well done.
Remove chicken from salt; strip off paper; allow to stand for 15 minutes to cool & congeal juices. Cut in half, then into bite-size pieces. Serve with soy dip.