Master Sauce Chicken

North Chinese kitchens harbor the smells that are most dear to me and among them is invariably that of a potted chicken, simmering slowly in a rich soy brew. It is a dish that requires almost no work to produce, and at the end of several heavenly scented hours you are left with a sublime chicken and an inspired master sauce from which you can create any number of homey, tempting dishes.

• Master sauces can be simple or complex. An average home cook combines wine,