Sarsaparilla Chicken

1- 1/2 kgs. whole chicken
1 liter Sarsi or any old-fashioned sarsaparilla
3 pcs. wansoy roots, powdered
4 cups water
1/4 cup oysters sauce
3 tbsps. dark soy sauce
2-1/2 tbsps. refined salt
1/2 tbsp. ground white pepper
1 cup chopped leeks
1-1/2 tbsps. cornstarch

1. Marinate chicken in Sarsi for 1-1/2 to 3 hours.
2. Put chicken in a pot with the marinade.
3. Add wansuy roots and water.
4. Boil for 15 minutes.
5. Add oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, pepper and leeks.
6. Continue boiling for 15 more minutes.
7. Remove chicken, then add in cornstarch slurry (*cornstarch
diluted in equal amount of water).
8. Let the the sauce thicken for about 10 minutes.
9. Serve and garnish with wansuy leaves.

Serves 4 to 6.
Recipe by Chef Gene Gonzales