Kung pao chicken has always been one of my favorite Chinese dishes, but I've never gotten a chance to taste the authentic Sichuan version of the dish. Well, I finally got around to learning how to make it, and this is probably going to fire up my palate at least three times a year. The subtle numbing and tingling of the Sichuan peppercorns is the most notable difference between this Chinese version and the Americanized one that's so familiar to people on this side of the Pacific; it's an experience every lover of Chinese cuisines ought to try at least once.
Prep time: about 20 mins.
Cooking time: about 15 mins.
Est. servings: 4.
Today's Specimen
Ingredients
- main
- 2 chicken breasts, cubed (about 1 cup, packed)
- ⅓ cup shallot, sliced thinly
- ¾ cup green onion, chopped
- ½ tsp. Sichuan peppercorns, crushed with the flat of a knife
- 10 dried tien tsin peppers, chopped
- 2 tbsp. sesame oil
- marinade
- 3 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 tsp. rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp. water
- 1 tbsp. corn starch
- sauce
- 5 tsp. light agave nectar
- 3 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp. garlic, crushed with salt (below)
- 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and grated finely
- ¼ tsp. salt
Directions
- In a small bowl or container combine the marinade ingredients and mix thoroughly until the starch is dissolved, then immerse the chicken in it and cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least a couple hours, preferably overnight. A small sealable plastic bag is ideal for this purpose.
- When the chicken is done marinating drain it well in a strainer and set aside while heating sesame oil at medium-high temperature in a wok or large frying pan.
- When the oil just starts to smoke add the Sichuan peppercorns and cook until they start to blacken and you can smell a strong aroma from the pan, then add the tien tsin peppers and cook them until they start to blacken and their pungent aroma wafts out of the pan,stirring or swirling constantly all the while. This should take about three to four minutes.
- Add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until it whitens on all sides, then add the shallots and cook for about five minutes, stirring constantly.
- Drop the temperature to medium and pour in the sauce and simmer, stirring constantly, for about five minutes.
- Remove the wok or pan from the heat and add the green onion and stir for a few seconds and then immediately pour each serving over a portion of rice to enjoy right away as an entre, preferably served with a vegetable side of some kind.
Next Time in the Lab
This dish is just too much damn fun! I think my favorite part is cooking the peppers in the beginning, my nostrils tingling and my eyes stinging from the aromas rising out of the pan. I'd eventually like to try making this with a Sichuan white wine and the black Chinese vinegar I've heard of, but for now I want to just change the vegetables a little and add crushed cashews (I forgot I was out of peanuts when I made this). And maybe add some more tien tsin peppers.
- Increase the shallots used to ½ cup.
- Add ⅔ cup thinly sliced (half-length alumette) carrot, added with the shallot.
- Add ½ cup crushed unsalted cashews, added with the chicken.
- Increase the tien tsin peppers used to 15 (ouch!).
