Kung Pao Chicken
A spicy Szechwan dish made with diced chicken, peanuts and chili
peppers. It is named after a Kung Pao or court official.
1 chicken (about 2 lbs) or 1 lb of chicken breasts
8 dried red chili peppers
1/2 cup skinless roasted peanuts (unsalted)
1 slice ginger
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 Tbsp cold water
1 Tbsp soy sauce
Sauce:
2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp dry sherry
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
a few drops sesame oil
2 - 4 cups oil for deep-frying
3 1/2 Tbsp oil for stir-frying
Remove all the bones from the chicken and cut into 1-inch cubes. Add the soy
sauce,
cornstarch and water, Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes. While the chicken is
marinating, prepare the vegetables. Peel and slice the ginger, and remove the
tips and the
seeds of the dry red peppers. Cut into 1-inch chunks.
Mix the sauce ingredients and set aside. Heat wok and add 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons
oil.
Stir-fry the peanuts until they turn golden, remove and set aside to cool. Heat
wok and
add oil for deep-frying. Carefully slide the chicken into the wok, and deep-fry
the
chicken for about 1 minute. Remove the chicken and drain off the oil. Heat 2
tablespoons
of oil in wok. Add the dry red peppers and stir-fry until they turn dark. Add
the ginger
and chicken, stir-frying rapidly. Give the sauce a quick re-stir and add to the
wok. Stir
until the sauce is thickened and mix together with other ingredients. Add the
peanuts and
mix just before serving.
Serves 4 - 6
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
