Kung Pao Chicken

Hi everyone, I am back!  Time flies.... It has been exactly six months since my last post, that is, on the eve of the 2015.  Feel so bad for leaving this blog un-touch for so long. The first six months of 2015 indeed were an aggressive and adventurous for me in both my working career and personal life.

Now that everything has almost stabilized, is time for me to get back to the kitchen to try on some recipes out and share with all of you.  

Today, I am going to bring you a very popular Chinese dish - Kung Pao Chicken.  I believed this dish is not only popular in Asian countries, but has reached out to other parts of the globe too.  I remembered I had made this dish during the Chinese New Year and had shared out on my personal Facebook's Timeline, I was surprised by the over-whelming responses, even some are not local or non-Chinese.  So, for sure I knew this would be one of the looking forward recipe.

My original version of Kung Pao Chicken spiciness level is quite high and I am sure some of you will not able to take it.  No worries, I have my way to assist you in this area and make sure you it will not run away too far from the original taste and save you all the hassle to order a takeaway from the restaurants.

INGREDIENTS

500gm chicken breast, cut into small cubes 

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

1 tbsp finely chopped ginger

1 onion, quartered halved and peeled out in slices

6 sprigs of spring onion/scallion, cut into 2" in lengths

50gm fried/roasted peanuts

1 tsp peppercorns (optional for high spiciness level)

1 cup dried chilies, cut into 1" to 2" lengths (you may cut down to 1/2 cup to control your spiciness level)

1 cup cooking oil

Sauce:

1 tbsp white rice vinegar

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp water

1 tsp cornstarch (mixed with 2 tsp water)

To marinate the chicken meat:

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

1 tbsp tapioca flour/cornstarch

1 egg white

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Marinate the cut chicken cubes all the above-mentioned ingredients for at least half an hour.

2.   Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

3.   Heat-up a wok over high heat with 1 cup of cooking oil and fry the marinated chicken until it's turned brown or about 80% cooked.  Drain out and set aside.

4.   Remain around 6 tbsp of oil in the wok, add in peppercorns and stir fry them in a low heat until the spice fragrance is out. 

5.   Remove the fried peppercorns from the wok.  
(For steps No. 4 & No. 5 are optional for those not using peppercorns).  

6.   Add in dried chilies, fry over low heat, until crisp or color changed to dark red (make sure they are not burnt).

7.   Add in the white part of spring onion/scallion, chopped garlic and ginger, quickly mix well.

8.   Return the cooked chicken cubes into the wok, pour in the mixed sauce, stirring and tossing non-stop in high heat for 1 to 2 minutes.

9.  Add in cornstarch (mixed with water) and the sauces will turn thick, then add in the peanuts and the balance of green spring onion/scallion, combine them speedily and dish out. (You may choose not to add in the green spring onion and use them as garnishing)

10.  Serves it while is still hot.