kung pao chicken

Traditionally, this Chinese chicken dish is a dry-stir fry — not a lot of sauce is added into Kung Pao chicken. However, with the amount of flavour explosions happening in this dish, you don’t miss OR want any more sauce. There’s so much flavour in this it’s crazy!

First, you’re going to marinate chicken pieces in a mixture of cornstarch, baking soda (YES) and Chinese wine (or sherry or rice wine. You can also use vinegar!) Then you’re going to quickly fry them in hot oil before finishing them off in the stir-fry with other ingredients. The cornstarch/soy/wine marinade not only provides amazing flavour to the chicken, it acts like a protective coating which seals moisture inside the chicken, creating beautiful golden edges while preventing the chicken from overcooking.

Ingredients
Chicken:

• 28 ounces (800g) boneless/skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch / corn flour

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock (or broth) -- water can be used
• 5 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar (or substitute good-quality balsamic vinegar)
• 2 tablespoon Chinese Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
• 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch / corn flour

Stir Fry:

• 4 tablespoons cooking oil divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic (4-6 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 1/2 red bell pepper (capsicum) seeded and diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper (capsicum) seeded and diced
• 8-10 dried chilies cut into ½-inch pieces (adjust to taste)
• 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns lightly toasted and ground
• 4 green onion / scallion stems cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup roasted/unsalted peanuts
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil optional

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients for the chicken in a shallow bowl; cover and marinate for 10 minutes (if time allows).
2. Whisk sauce ingredients together until sugar dissolves; set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet, pan or wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, allow to heat up, then add marinated chicken. Fry chicken for 3-4 minutes while occasionally stirring, until edges are browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. ......................................

for full instruction please see : cafedelites.com

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