CHICK-KUNG-PAO() - KUNG PAO CHICKEN
KUNG PAO CHICKEN - Stir-fried chicken with vegetables
This recipe is from a Szechuan cooking class taught by Susan Newberry,
Minnetonka, Minnesota.
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)
- 350 g (¾ lb)
- chicken breast,
boned and cut into shreds
- cornstarch"
-
- (1)
- egg white
- (1)
- garlic clove,
minced
- (1)
- piece ginger,
minced
- 7.5 ml (1½ tsp)
- red pepper,
crushed
- 75 g (½ cup)
- skinless peanuts
- 150 g (½ cup)
- bamboo shoots,
diced
- 100 g (½ cup)
- peapods
- 50 g (½ cup)
- straw mushrooms
-
- oil
SAUCE:
- 30 ml (2 Tbsp)
- brown bean sauce
- 15 ml (1 Tbsp)
- hoisin sauce
- 5 ml (1 tsp)
- sugar
- 10 ml (2 tsp)
- rice cooking wine
(or use dry sherry)
- 30 ml (2 Tbsp)
- water
PROCEDURE
- (1)
-
Dust chicken breast with cornstarch and massage in egg white.
- (2)
-
Mix sauce ingredients.
- (3)
-
Heat oil in wok and stir-fry peanuts briefly. Remove from pan.
- (4)
-
Stir-fry chicken about two minutes. Remove from pan.
- (5)
-
Pour in red pepper, garlic and ginger. Fry until peppers begin to change
color.
- (6)
-
Add peapods, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, chicken and sauce. Stir and cook
1 minute. Add peanuts, toss and serve.
NOTES
The original recipe said the mushrooms and peapods are optional but I found
that they are a must. The cornstarch and egg white act to seal the moisture
so the chicken does not get dry. This gives the chicken a very different
texture. I feel this is the way to stir fry chicken.
But make sure that you do not let the chicken and egg white stand
for more than 5 minutes, otherwise the egg white starts to run.
Raw skinless peanuts are best, but you can also use blanched peanuts.
The hoisin sauce and bean sauce are available at any oriental grocery store
and at some supermarkets.
RATING
Difficulty:
easy.
Time:
15 minutes preparation, 5 minutes cooking.
Precision:
No need to measure.
CONTRIBUTOR
Chi Vu
Honeywell Inc., Systems and Research Center, Minneapolis, MN
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