Kung Pao Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken
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Chef's Note
“This is a popular Szechwan style dish that combines chicken (or pork, beef or shrimp) with peanuts.”
READY IN:20mins |
SERVES:2-3 |
YIELD:1 depends on how many dishes are served |
UNITS:US |
Ingredients Nutrition
- 1⁄2 lb chicken breast, diced
- 2 -3 dried chilies
- cornstarch, mixed with a little cornstarch (binder)
- 1⁄2 cup peanuts (dry roasted or fried)
- 3 drops sesame oil
Marinade
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg white
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon dry sherry
- 3 drops vegetable oil
Seasonings
- 1 -3 clove minced garlic
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 1⁄2 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot (optional)
Vegetables
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1⁄4 cup sliced bamboo shoot (, or thinly sliced carrot)
Sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 -3 teaspoon hot sauce (Chinese chilie paste with garlic works well. If you use it you may want to cut back on the minced ga)
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (I use Chinese red vinegar but white, cider or Asian rice, unseasoned vinegar are also OK.)
- 1⁄4 cup chicken stock
Directions
- Have a heat proof bowl handy.
- Line it with a heat proof colander or sieve.
- You will cook the chicken in what seems a lot of oil but it gets poured into the sieve allowing any excess to drain off while you finish the dish.
- The fire should be on high for the whole cooking process.
- Heat a wok to smoking and pour in enough oil to cover the chicken.
- When the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken.
- Stir until just cooked.
- This shouldn't take more than a minute or so.
- Carefully pour the contents of the wok into the sieve-lined bowl.
- Reheat the wok and pour in 2- 3 T of the oil.
- Add the dried chilies and stir them until they're charred.
- (Warning: make sure you have your exhaust fan turned on high since the chilies throw off some nasty fumes)!
- Stir in the seasonings; when they start to smell strong (about 10- 20 seconds) add the vegetables.
- Stir fry until they are cooked but still crispy (a minute or two).
- Give the sauce a good stir and pour into the wok.
- Stir until it begins to bubble.
- Return the chicken and keep stirring to heat through.
- Thicken by stirring a little of the binder into the sauce.
- (Note: add only a little of the binder at a time to avoid making the sauce gummy).
- Stir in a few drops of sesame oil.
- Sprinkle the peanuts on top.
- Serve immediately on a heated platter.
Kung Pao Chicken