September 07, 2011

Kung Pao Chicken

Recipe: Kung Pao Chicken宫保鸡丁
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 300g skinless, boneless chicken breast
  • ¼ cup to ½ cup unsalted roasted blanched peanuts or cashew nuts
  • 2 to 5 dried chilies
  • 2 slices ginger (about 3cm each)
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 3 TBSP peanut oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 stalk spring onion (halved to separate white and green parts)
Gravy
  • 1 TBSP soy sauce
  • ½ TBSP oyster sauce
  • ½ tsp. meat curry powder *optional
  • 1½ tsp. sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1½ TBSP distilled vinegar
  • ¼ cup water
  • spring onion (white part; chopped diagonally)
Marinade
  • ½ TBSP soy sauce
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 2 tsp. tapioca starch or corn starch
Gravy Thickening
  • ½ tsp. tapioca starch or corn starch
  • 1 tsp. water
Garnishing
  • spring onion (green part; chopped diagonally into 1" sections)
 
Measurements: tsp. = teaspoon | TBSP = tablespoon
Preparation
  • 1. Remove stems and seeds from dried chilies, cut into 1.5-inches sections. Mince garlic. Prepare 2 slices ginger and ¼ cup roasted peanuts. Halve spring onion to divide green and white parts, chop diagonally. Combine all ingredients of the marinade in a bowl. Mix gravy thickening in a small bowl.
  • 2. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes.
  • 3. Combine chicken and the marinade in a bowl. Toss to coat chicken evenly. Leave to marinate for 5 to 15 minutes.
  • 4. Heat up 3 TBSP oil in a skillet. Drop chicken cubes into the hot oil and fry over medium high heat until golden brown (turning occasionally).
  • 5. Push chicken to aside in skillet. Add minced garlic, ginger slices, and dried chilies; stir-fry over medium high heat until garlic turn golden brown, about 1 minute.
  • 6. Stir in gravy. Simmer over medium high heat until gravy comes to a boil, about 2 minutes.
  • 7. Remove ginger slices.
  • 8. Add in roasted peanuts. Toss to combine. Cover with lid and let simmer over medium heat for another 1 minutes or until chicken cooked.
  • 9. Reduce heat to low. Stir in gravy thickening (give a quick whisk to the thickening before stir in). Turn off the heat.
  • 10. Dish out kung pao chicken. Sprinkle with chopped spring onion (green part). Serve hot with rice.
  • Notes
  • Raw blanched peanuts or cashew nuts can be deep fried in hot oil until golden brown instead of roasting.
  • 1 tsp. of Shaoxing wine can be added in the marinade to enhance its flavor.
  • Vegetables such as bell peppers, baby corns, carrots, celery, red onion, and water chestnuts can also be added to kung pao chicken.




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