Mai-Kai Shanghai Chicken

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon chopped ginger root

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

2 green onions, chopped

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

About 63 cilantro sprigs

1 pound bacon, strips cut into thirds

Peanut oil, for frying (optional)

1. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and green onions in a large bowl. Add chicken to marinade, cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, drain the chicken and discard the marinade.

2. Top each piece of chicken with a cilantro leaf and wrap in a piece of bacon strip. Secure each with a toothpick. If you wish to fry the chicken, heat 1-inch oil in a heavy skillet over high heat to 350 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer. When oil is hot, fry chicken 3 to 4 minutes or until browned.

3. To bake the chicken, place chicken pieces on a baking sheet with sides and bake in a 350 F oven 15 minutes. Place under a preheated broiler to crisp bacon, if desired.

Yield: About 63 pieces.