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1
Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, and spring onion in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and turn thoroughly to coat. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours — overnight produces the deepest flavour penetration. The chicken is ready when the marinade has visibly saturated the surface and the flesh has darkened.
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2
Lay a sheet of parchment flat. Place one piece of chicken at the centre with a little of the marinade. Fold and crimp the corners inward, then fold over once more, sealing all edges completely so no liquid can escape. Repeat for each piece. This is where the dish lives or dies: a poorly sealed pouch will leak marinade into the hot oil, the steam environment will be lost, and the aromatic concentration will not develop.
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3
Heat the oil in a deep vessel to 180 °C. Lower the paper parcels into the oil in batches without crowding. Fry for 6–8 minutes. The paper will blister and develop a slight char at its edges but must not ignite. The parcel will puff slightly as steam builds inside — a sign the chicken is cooking in its own juices.
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4
Lift the parcels from the oil and drain briefly. Serve immediately, still sealed, on a plate or platter. Unwrap at the table: the release of perfumed steam — sesame, ginger, soy — confirms that the seal held and the aromatic environment was preserved throughout cooking.