Kung Pao Chicken

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 5 Minutes

Ready In: 20 Minutes

Servings: 12

This is a popular Szechwan style dish that combines chicken (or pork, beef or shrimp) with peanuts.

Ingredients:

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

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg white

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon dry sherry

3 drops vegetable oil

1 -3 clove minced garlic

2 scallions, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot (optional)

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1/4 cup sliced bamboo shoot (, or thinly sliced carrot)

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:

1. Have a heat proof bowl handy.
2. Line it with a heat proof colander or sieve.
3. 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.
4. The fire should be on high for the whole cooking process.
5. Heat a wok to smoking and pour in enough oil to cover the chicken.
6. When the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken.
7. Stir until just cooked.
8. This shouldn't take more than a minute or so.
9. Carefully pour the contents of the wok into the sieve-lined bowl.
10. Reheat the wok and pour in 2- 3 T of the oil.
11. Add the dried chilies and stir them until they're charred.
12. (Warning: make sure you have your exhaust fan turned on high since the chilies throw off some nasty fumes)!
13. Stir in the seasonings; when they start to smell strong (about 10- 20 seconds) add the vegetables.
14. Stir fry until they are cooked but still crispy (a minute or two).
15. Give the sauce a good stir and pour into the wok.
16. Stir until it begins to bubble.
17. Return the chicken and keep stirring to heat through.
18. Thicken by stirring a little of the binder into the sauce.
19. (Note: add only a little of the binder at a time to avoid making the sauce gummy).
20. Stir in a few drops of sesame oil.
21. Sprinkle the peanuts on top.
22. Serve immediately on a heated platter.

By RecipeOfHealth.com