Kung Pao After Ken Hom
chicken, chinese, loo
2 boned chicken breasts; diced
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg white
1 oil
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1/4 cup each diced carrot, celery, green pe; pper and bamboo shoots
8 tablespoon oil
8 dried hot chiles
8 scallions, minced
6 centiliter garlic, sliced thin
4 slice [thin] ginger, mashed flat
2 tablespoon chinese chili paste
4 tablespoon dark soy
2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoon dry sherry or shaoshing rice wine(w; hich is cheaper)
2 tablespoon chekiang black vinegar or
4 teaspoon regular vinegar
2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed in
1 tablespoon cold water or chicken broth
Here's a pretty authentic recipe for kung pao chicken. It doesn't have many vegetables, but you can add vegetables as you choose. It also doesn't have ginger, so I've jazzed it a little. You might want to experiment with this and see how things turn out.
Mix chicken with cornstarch and egg white. Let sit 15 min. Heat oil to 150 degrees. When it reaches this temperature, put one piece of chicken in. Keep raising the temperature until the chicken floats. As soon as the chicken floats, turn the heat OFF and dump in the chicken, stirring so that all surfaces of the chicken are exposed to the oil. As soon as that happens and the surfaces are whitened, remove them with a slotted spoon. This step (called "velveting") is optional but makes a fancier dish. You can cut the egg white and the velveting altogether if you like. If you use chicken thighs for the dish, as most restaurants do, don't bother to velvet - it won't work.
Okay. Heat 2 T oil and brown the peanuts lightly. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Add 1 T oil and cook vegetables in the order listed. Cook carrots for a few seconds (maybe 15), then add the celery, cook for a few seconds, add peppers, cook a little longer, and then add the bamboo shoots. As soon as the bamboo shoots have been tossed once, remove all vegetables with a slotted spoon. If you haven't velveted the chicken, add another T of oil to what's in the pan and stir-fry the chicken until slightly browned on all sides (do this in 2 batches). Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and discard the oil.
Heat the rest of the oil on medium heat; add the chiles, scallions, and garlic in this order. Add all other ingredients listed except for cornstarch-water. Bring to a boil and stir in cornstarch-water. Cook over high heat until thickened. Add all cooked ingredients and stir- cook for 15-30 sec until warmed through and chicken is fully cooked. Serve with rice.
Yield: 4 servings