Master Recipe
Kung Pao Chicken
serves 4
NOTE: If you
have small dried red chiles on hand, use them instead of the hot
red pepper flakes. For a medium-hot flavor, cook 5 to 10 chiles
with the bell pepper, adding an extra tablespoon of oil so the
chiles don't scorch. Crack a couple of the chiles in half to
release the seeds, or open all of the chiles for a superspicy dish.
Make sure not to eat the chiles. If you prefer, substitute 1 pound
of boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the thighs. Serve with
plenty of Sticky White Rice to cut the
heat.
3 tablespoons soy sauce
21/2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
11/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon peanut oil
3 tablespoons canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
6 medium scallions, whites only, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts
INSTRUCTION:
1. Mix 11/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 11/2 tablespoons rice wine, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch together in medium bowl. Add chicken and toss. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and toss again. Set aside for 20 minutes.
2. Mix remaining 11/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, and 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch together in small bowl. Stir in broth, sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil; set sauce aside.
3. Heat a 12-or 14-inch nonstick skillet over high heat for 3 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons peanut oil and swirl oil so that it evenly coats bottom of pan. Heat oil until it just starts to shimmer and smoke. Add chicken and stir-fry until seared and three-quarters cooked, about 2 minutes. Strain chicken into clean bowl and set aside. Carefully wipe out pan with paper towel.
4. Put pan back over high heat and let it come up to temperature, 1 minute. When hot, add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and swirl oil so that it evenly coats bottom of pan. When oil just starts to smoke, add bell pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Clear center of pan and add garlic, ginger, scallions, and pepper flakes, drizzle with remaining teaspoon peanut oil, and stir-fry until fragrant, 10 to 15 seconds.
5. Add sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until it boils, 5 to 10 seconds. Add chicken back to pan and stir-fry until ingredients are well coated with sauce and sizzling hot, about 1 minute. Stir in peanuts and serve immediately.
VARIATION:
Kung Pao Shrimp
Even if pan-fried, shrimp never develops the silky crust found on chicken, so it's best to stir-fry the shrimp in a film of oil.
Follow master recipe, replacing chicken with 1 pound small or medium shrimp, peeled, and eliminating 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon oil from marinade in step 1. Reduce amount of oil in step 3 to 1 tablespoon. Cook shrimp until bright pink, 1 to 11/2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to bowl and proceed as directed.