RE: [CH] Kung Pao Chicken Recipe?
Judy Bolton (jbolton@rochester.rr.com)
Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:35:57 -0500
My husband and I really like this recipe. I have included my notes that I
had made for a friend of mine. I hope they are helpful and not confusing!
This is from a cookbook by Virginia Lee and Craig Claiborne - The Chinese
Cookbook. I believe the yield is for four people with other dishes.
Judy, Rochester, NY
Kung Pao Chicken
Chicken
1 large whole chicken breast, boned but not skinned [I use two boneless,
skinless chicken breasts, or the equivalent in boneless, skinless chicken
thighs] ½ egg white (beat the white lightly, then divide in half) [I just
use the whole thing]
2 T cornstarch
Salt to taste
Sauce
2 T bean sauce
1 T hoisin sauce
1 T chili paste with garlic (or you can add two cloves mashed garlic to
regular red chili paste)
1 ½ t sugar
1 T dry sherry or shao xing wine
¼ t MSG [optional – and I do not use]
1 T red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, peeled and flattened but not chopped
[NOTE – I like to add about two or three tablespoons of chicken stock to
this mixture, but it is optional]
Additional Ingredients
2 cups peanut, corn, or vegetable oil [see my note – I don’t use any or only
some of the oil, and I also like using canola oil]
1 cup raw, shelled, and hulled fresh unsalted peanuts
12 – 16 hot dried red peppers, cut in half [depending on what kind of chili
peppers you use, you might only need, say, four of them to get plenty of
heat]
Cut the chicken into very small cubes, and mix with the egg white,
cornstarch, and salt. Put in fridge for 30 minutes.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Heat all the oil in a skillet or wok and when it’s almost boiling but not
smoking turn the heat off and add the peanuts. The peanuts should turn
light golden brown from the retained heat, but if they don’t, turn the heat
on again and cook briefly. Watch carefully, because they can burn very fast
(and don’t be surprised to hear them still cooking for some time after you
remove them!). Drain and reserve the oil.
[MY METHOD FOR PEANUTS – I don’t use all of this oil. I either dry roast
them in a very hot but oil less skillet, and then set aside. Or, for a
treat, I will put a small amount of oil in the skillet, get it hot, and then
stir fry the peanuts to get the nice crunchy effect. I don’t see the need
to use all of this oil.]
Heat one cup of the reserved oil [NOTE – I don’t find all of this oil
necessary – maybe a few tablespoons is enough] in the pan. When the oil is
hot, add the chicken mixture. Cook quickly, only about 45 seconds, stirring
almost constantly, until the chicken becomes translucent. Do not brown.
[NOTE – I like and feel less paranoid it if it becomes just about brown.]
Remove the chicken and drain well. Set aside.
To the still-hot oil add the dried peppers and cook until dark (about 15
seconds) and immediately add the sauce. Stir, then add chicken and cook
another minute. Throw the peanuts in, stir about, and then serve. [NOTE - I
like to top it with chopped green onions.]
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-chile-heads@globalgarden.com
[mailto:owner-chile-heads@globalgarden.com] On Behalf Of Dan D Niles
Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 1:03 PM
To: Chile Heads List
Subject: [CH] Kung Pao Chicken Recipe?
There is a Chinese buffet here that has a Kung Pao Chicken recipe that I
just love. I have not been able to find a recipe that produces
something similar. The pieces of chicken have have something like a
pepper glaze on it. The chicken has a really nice heat to it. A long
time ago I saw a recipe that I thought might produce this, but I cannot
find it now. The chicken was cooked first and removed while the veggies
were cooked. It seems like you would need to do something like that to
preserve the pepper coating on the chicken.
I tried this recipe:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Kung_Pao_Chicken and it was good.
The pepper was distributed throughout instead of concentrated on the
chicken, and it never really stuck to the chicken. I like the
concentration of heat every time you eat a bit of chicken.
So, does anyone have a kung pao chicken recipe that would produce
something like the buffet style kung pao?
Thanks,
Dan