KUNG PAO CHICKEN
By: Tom Woodcock
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
♦ 1 ½ inches ginger, peeled and diced
♦ 5 cloves garlic, diced
♦ Bunch of spring onions, diced
♦ 1 tin water chestnuts, roughly chopped
♦ 1 tbsp Chinese Chili sauce
♦ 4 tbsp Soy Sauce, divided
♦ 2 tbsp Sesame Oil, divided
♦ 4 tbsp Sherry/Rice Wine, divided
♦ 2 tbsp corn flour, divided
♦ 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
♦ 1 flat tbsp. sugar
♦ 3 tbsp chicken stock
♦ 1 lb chicken
♦ Tofu (optional)
♦ ½ bunch Kale, torn
♦ 1 red pepper, sliced
♦ 4-6 Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced
♦ ½ cup peanuts

Directions:
Thinly slice chicken and marinate (1 hour) in 1 tbsp of the corn flour, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp sherry. Mix thoroughly.

Mix vinegar, sugar, chicken stock, and remaining soy, sherry, corn flour and sesame oil together in a cup. Make sure it doesn’t separate.

Saute chicken in vegetable oil on high heat til cooked through; set aside.

Heat more oil on high, and fry the chili sauce til fragrant, then add spring onion, garlic, ginger and water chestnuts. Fry 1 minute, add red pepper, stir well. Add mushrooms and kale, cook til wilted. Add sauce mixture, stir well. Add cooked chicken and peanuts, mix well. Salt to taste. Serve with rice.

Note: The cooking process should be very quick, and never lower than high heat. Failing to do so will generate water and ruin the sauce and texture of the dish.

To read more about this dish and my musical pairing, click HERE.