Kung Pao Chicken

Well I am finally back in the kitchen I am able to chew and I have an appetite again.

This is a recipe that I altered slightly from the one in Feast - Issue 5.

I added vegetables I love vegetables in my stirfries, so in they went. It was thoroughly enjoyable the only problem was I slipped when I went to put the dried chilli flakes in and instead of putting in 1/2 teaspoon I put in a whole teaspoon, so the dish had some parts that really warmed your mouth.

szechuan peppercorns

Now the recipe might look complicated it really isn't I have just broken down each step so it is easier to follow.

Kung Pao Chicken

Marinate - 3 tsp rice wine (shaoxing), 2 tsps sesame oil, 1 tbsp light soy sauce & 2 tsps cornflour

2 large chicken breasts cut into 2 cm cubes.

Mix all marinade ingredients together added the chicken , stir then leave 30 minutes.

Chicken waiting in its marinade.

Vegetables

1 1/2 cups mixed vegetables cut into a 1cm dice - I used yellow capsicum, broccoli florets and stalk, celery and carrot.

Blanch the vegetables in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain.

Vegetables.

Remaining Ingredients

75 gm (1/2) cup unsalted peanuts, 1 finely sliced fresh chilli or 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes, 2 tsps szechuan peppercorns, 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 2 spring onions sliced on the diagonal into 2.5 cm pieces

Sauce Ingredients

1 tbsps light soy sauce, 2 tsps sugar, 60 ml (1/4) cup chicken stock, 1 tbsps chinese black vinegar,

To Serve - steamed rice

Heat 2 tbsps oil in a wok or large fypan, using a slotted spoon drain chicken and add to frypan. KEEP remainder of marinade you will use it to make the sauce.

Stirfry the chicken 2 - 3 minutes or until white and cooked through. Add vegetables , peanuts, spring onions, garlic, chilli and peppercorns. Strifry another 2 minutes.

Add sauce ingredients to remainder of the marinade, mix well, Pour over the chicken stir quickly until the sauce has thicken, this will only take about 30 seconds.

Serve with steamed rice.