KUNG PAO CHICKEN

This is my retake on Kung Pao Chicken because the first I made it I was not much experienced and I ended up adding cashew nuts because Mom loved them. Then I got lectured by someone about how cashew nuts are not Kung Pao which made me so furious that I met a Chinese living in Lahore to confirm.

FYI - KUNG PAO CHICKEN CAN BE MADE WITH ALMONDS, CASHEW NUTS AND BASICALLY ANY TYPE OF NUT. This is a Schezuan cuisine and the type of nuts does not have to do anything with the authenticity.

In Pakistan we don't know any other Pao than "beta zara ghr atay hovey aik pao dahi le ana." Kung Pao Chicken is literally one of my all time favorites.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN:

500 grams boneless, skinless chicken breast cut in 1/2 inch cubes

1 tablespoon red chili paste

pinch of salt and pepper

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoons baking powder (it tenderizes the chicken)

INGREDIENTS FOR SAUCE:

1 tablespoon of finely chopped ginger

6 garlic cloves finely chopped

10 dried red chilies cut in 1/2 inch pieces (you can skip or lessen them to adjust spice)

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon oyster sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons white vinegar

3/4 cup of chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornflour

4-5 green onions chopped

1/4 cup of salted peanuts (you can also add more or less)

Really easy and simple to make.

First we marinate the chicken by adding salt, pepper, soy sauce, oyster sauce and baking powder to it.

Mix it and keep it aside.

Now we let the chicken marinade and we slice green onions and dried red chilies.

Now let's prepare the sauce by putting soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, chicken stock and cornflour.

Mix it well and keep it aside.

Now we heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok on high heat and fry the chicken.

After the chicken is cooked take it out separately.

Now we heat a another tablespoon of oil in the same wok and stir fry garlic, ginger and dry red chilies for 1 minute.

Give the sauce a stir in a bowl and add it to the wok. Turn up the heat to medium.

As soon as the sauce starts boiling stir the dry ingredients and mix them together.

Now we add chicken and stir it in the sauce for a minute.

Time to add the peanuts and give them a good stir for 30 seconds.

Quickly add the green onions and stir for another minute and TADA. Kung Pao Chicken is ready to serve.

KUNG PAO CHICKEN

EVERYONE !!!