Chinese cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines in every house. It can be prepared very quickly. But you need a little preparation before-hand. Kung Pao chicken, also known as Gong Bao or Kung Po, is a spicy, stir-fried Chinese dish made with cubes of chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and chili peppers. The classic dish in Sichuan cuisine originated in the Sichuan Province of south-western China and includes Sichuan peppercorns. So, for preparing this recipe you need to collect 'Sichuan Peppercorn', to follow the authentic taste. While marination you can use Chinese cooking wine too. But without it it is also very good in taste. Why I like this recipe is, it gives a nice balance between juicy chicken pieces and crunch from peanuts with hot sauce. This recipe can be served as a starter or can be served as sides with rice in main course. Here goes the recipe…

Ingredients:

For marinating chicken:

  • Boneless Chicken Breast – 500 gms (Cut into small pieces)
  • Salt – ½ tsp
  • Red Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
  • Black Pepper – ½ tsp (Crushed)
  • Cornflour – 2 Tbsp
  • All Purpose Flour – 1 Tbsp
  • Egg White – 1
  • Dark Soya Sauce – 1 Tbsp
  • Malt Vinegar – 1 tsp

For preparing the sauce:

  • Hot Red Chilli Sauce – 2 Tbsp
  • Dark Soy Sauce – 2 Tbsp
  • Malt Vinegar – 1 tsp
  • Tomato Ketchup – 2 tsp
  • Chilli Flakes – 1 tsp
  • Sesame Oil – 1 tsp
  • Brown Sugar – 1 tsp
  • Cornflour – 1 Tbsp

For Stir Fry:

  • Oil – ¼ cup
  • Dried Red Chillies – 8-10 nos
  • Finely Chopped Garlic – 1 Tbsp
  • Chopped Ginger – 1 tsp
  • Capsicum / Bell Pepper chunks – 1 cup
  • Spring Onion White – 4-5 (Chopped)
  • Sliced Mushroom – 6-8 nos
  • Roasted Peanuts – ¼ cup
  • Sichuan Peppercorn – ¼ tsp
  • Salt – To taste
  • Spring Onion Greens – Chopped for garnish

Steps:

For marinating Chicken:

  1. Take chicken pieces in a big mixing bowl.
  2. Add all the ingredients mentioned under for chicken marination. Coat chicken well with all the ingredients. Cover and keep aside for 15-30 minutes.

For preparing Chicken:

  • Heat oil in a wok. Once the turns hot, add the chicken pieces in batches and shallow fry for 1 - 2 minutes on each side or until the chicken pieces turns light bown from all sides. Stir occasionally and let the chicken pieces crisp a little. Remove chicken from wok and keep aside.
  • Keep 2-3 tsp oil in the wok and take out excess oil in a bowl.

Preparing the sauce:

  • Mix all the ingredients for the sauce to combine. Ensure the cornflour has dissolved well. Set aside.

For Chicken Stir Fry:

  • Add chopped garlic, ginger and dry red chilli and sauté for a minute. Next add onion white, capsicum/bell pepper, red chilli flakes and sauté for another minute.
  • Add sliced mushroom and sauté for couple of minutes, ensuring it browns slightly on the edges.
  • Add the crushed Sichuan peppercorn, roasted peanuts and fried chicken pieces and lightly sauté for few seconds.
  • Now give the sauce a stir and add it to the wok while stirring continuously on high heat. Add ¼ cup hot water or chicken stock while contine to stir.
  • Season with salt, garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot!

Notes:

~ Stir Fry the chicken on high heat quickly. So prepare all the ingredients before hand.

~ Instead of Hot Red Chilli Sauce, you may use Chilli Paste. For preparing Chilli Paste, soak dry red chilli in hot water for few hours. Then grind into semi-smooth paste.

~ It is difficult to find Sichuan Pepper Corn. You may find it in big grocery stores. Adding it gives a distinct flavor.