#HOMEMADE KUNG PAO CHICKEN FREE#

Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and bring sauce to a heavy simmer. Add reserved sauce and return chicken to wok. Step 6 Add peanuts and cook, tossing, until heated through, about 1 minute.Add white and pale green scallion parts and fresh chiles and cook, tossing constantly, until vegetables slightly blister but aren’t tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook, tossing constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Cook dried chiles and peppercorns, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and chiles are slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Step 4 In wok over low heat, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil.Transfer chicken to a plate along with any accumulated juices. Cook chicken mixture, stirring often, until lightly browned and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Step 3 In a wok or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, heat 3 tablespoons oil until shimmering.Step 2 In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce, if using, salt, MSG, and remaining 3 teaspoons wine and 3 teaspoons soy sauce set sauce aside.Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until ready to use, or refrigerate up to 2 hours. Step 1 In a large bowl, mix chicken, egg white, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon wine, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce.So I tossed in some roughly chopped Italian long hots (a great substitute for mild chiles used in Chinese cooking) but you can use bell peppers. This recipe leans a little more gong bao than kung pao, but I felt many (myself included) might miss the grassy sweetness that fresh peppers can provide. The kung pao of my youth had a lot more fresh veg, namely celery and bell pepper. The former add the necessary kick, and the latter add a floral pepperiness as well as a bit of the signature numbing sensation. The two things I would not leave out are the dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns.

#HOMEMADE KUNG PAO CHICKEN FREE#

Shaoxing wine is a cooking rice wine that can be found in many Chinese recipes, and if you intend to be cooking more traditional dishes, you should absolutely pick up a bottle if you can’t find one, feel free to use a dry sherry or mirin. It’s made with tiny morsels of chicken, dried chiles, Sichuan peppercorns, and shaoxing wine. Gong bao ji ding (宫保鸡丁), as it’s called in Chinese, is said to be named after Ding Baozhen, a 19th century governor of the Sichuan province.

Though folks are often quick to show how far a lot of American Chinese dishes have changed from their original Cantonese, Sichuanese, or Hunanese roots, the kung pao chicken I ate growing up wasn’t too far from the original. Slightly spicy, a bit sweet, packed with peanuts and tender nubs of chicken, it was perfect to eat over rice or out of the fridge at midnight. Growing up eating a ton (and yes, I mean a ton) of American Chinese food, kung pao chicken was near the top of my all-time faves.

Homemade kung pao chicken