Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 large chicken thigh ( , remove skin and cut into small cubes (around 250g))
• 1/2 cup fried peanuts ( , you may use roasted peanuts or salt baked ones)
• 2 large scallion or 4 scallions ( , only white part, cut into small section.)
• 6 ~8 dried chili peppers ( , change the amount according how hot you wish it to be)
• 3 tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 tsp. whole Sichuan peppercorn ( , or you can use Sichuan peppercorn powder)
• 1 thumb ginger (, chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (, chopped )
• a small pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. cooking wine
• dash of white pepper
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. vegetable cooking oil
• 1/2 tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1/8 tsp. a small pinch of salt
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1.5 tbsp. vinegar
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• dash of white pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Crispy peanuts ---

2. 2

   Firstly, add around 600g salt to the wok, and fry until hot. Place around 2 cups of peanuts in. Keep stir-frying the peanuts so make sure they are evenly heated. Continue heating for 6-8 minutes until you can hear Pa pa sound from the peanuts.

3. 3

   Strain and shift the salt out and then you will get super lovely peanuts. For this method, we have to remove the skin because salt is attached.

4. 4

   --- Marinating the chicken ---

5. 5

   If you use chicken thigh: remove the bones by cutting a break on the top and then push the meat off with the help of a sharp knife. Cut the meat into long strips and further into one-bite cubes.

6. 6

   Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and marinate with salt, white pepper, cooking wine, and cornstarch. Mix well and then add 2 teaspoons of oil to coat the cubes. This helps to add a basic taste and create a protecting shell for the chicken so we can produce the tenderest chicken.

7. 7

   --- Prepare the bowl sauce ---

8. 8

   Mix all the bowl sauce, and set aside.

9. 9

   --- Stir fry ---

10. 10

    Heat up oil in wok until hot, pour in cold oil and then heat until warm. Place the chicken cubes in and let them stay for 3-5 seconds until the starch begins gelatinization. Gently fry until all of the chicken cubes begin to change color.

11. 11

    Transfer the chicken out. Add Sichuan peppercorn and dried chili pepper, and fry until aromatic. Place in garlic, ginger, and half of the scallion sections. Fry for another 10 seconds.

12. 12

    Return the chicken and mix well. Stir the sauce first and pour it in.

13. 13

    Fry until the sauce is well-coated. Mix with the remaining large scallion sections and fried peanuts, mix 3 seconds. Transfer out immediately.