1/4 cup dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 inch fresh gingerroot, thinly sliced

2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large green onion, coarsely chopped

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon galangal powder*

1 (3-pound) whole roasting chicken, giblets removed

* Galangal is a rhizome related to the ginger family. You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger in this recipe.

1. Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, green onion, white pepper and galangal powder. Put the chicken into a gallon-size food-grade plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal the bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the chicken from the marinade; reserve marinade. Place chicken on a rack in a foil-lined roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes, brushing occasionally with the marinade. (Discard the marinade after this point.)

3. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue roasting about 45 minutes, basting occasionally with the pan juices, or until done. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before carving.