Soy Sauce Chicken

10 C. water
20 whole star anise (1/2 cup)
1/4 c. anise seed
2 oz. dried licorice root
10 c. soy sauce
8 c. sugar
1 large piece dried mandarin orange peel
1 cinnamon stick
1 (1 ich) piece peeled fresh ginger
1 3.5 lb. free-range chicken.

In an 8-qt. pot, boil the water with the str anise, anise seed, and licrice root, uncovered, for 1/2 hour. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh straier set over a large bowl and, reserving the spices in the strainer, pour the liquid back into the pot. Transfer the spices to the middle of a 120in. square of cheesecloth. Gather the cheesecloth up and around the spices and tie it closed tightly with a piece of string to form a purse. Add the soy sauce, sugar, orange peel, cinnamon and ginger to the pot and bring the liquid to a boile.
Put the cheesecloth bag into the pot, along with the chicken, simmer, covered, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1/2 hour.
Use tongs to put chicken on a platter and discard the cheesecloth bag.
Pour the sauce through a strainer set over a bowl, discarding the solids, and keep warm.

Remove the wints and legs with a sharp knife. Split the chicken lengthwise down its back and cut crosswise into 1 inch wide pieces.
Serve over rice with sauce.

Note: Recipe makes a lot more sauce that you would need. Delicious over rice or as a dip. Can keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Boil it for a minute before using it again.