Kung Pao Chicken. (Picture made by Zhang Hui)
It's weekend, time to try something different in the kitchen! If Kung Pao chicken is your favorite at Chinese restaurants, you definitely should finish reading this article.
Full of different ingredients, rich in flavor of spicy, sour and slightly sweet, Kung Pao chicken, originated in southwest China's Sichuan Province, is one of the most famous and welcomed Chinese dishes among foreigners.
You may think it's difficult to make it, but the fact is quite the opposite! Our recipe teaches you how to home cook this famous dish within 5 steps and less than 20 minutes.
Give it a try , post your Kung Pao chicken photos on Twitter and @Xhnews !
Cooking Direction
Ingredients needed for Kung Pao Chicken. (Picture made by Zhang Hui)
Prepare all the ingredients listed in the picture above and let's start!
Step 1 Marinate the chicken meat: Combine 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a bowl. Marinate the chicken cubes in the bowl and let stand for about 10 minutes.
Step 2 Prepare the sauce: Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cornstarch in another bowl, stir until they dissolve.
Step 3 Heat peanut oil in a wok on medium heat, add garlic, spring onions, gingers, peppercorns, dried red peppers and stir fry until the oil is slightly fragrant.
Step 4 Add the chicken cubes, stir fry for several minutes until their color turns white. Then pour in the sauce and well coat all ingredients.
Step 5 Stir in the peanuts and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until glossy. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with some julienne green onions.
Voila! Now just open your mouth and enjoy the delicious food!
Rice covered with Kung Pao chicken. Looks so nice!
When you enjoy your self-cooked Kung Pao chicken, you may wonder why the dish is called this name.
According to one popular theory, the dish was created by Ding Baozhen, a governor of Sichuan Province in Qing Dynasty (AD 1636-1912). He loved eating the dish of stir-fried hot pepper and chicken and he asked his chef to make it every time he invited friends to banquets served at home, which was also appreciated by the guests. Gradually this private home cuisine of Ding's family became a well-known dish and was named after his official title Gong Bao (which became "Kung Pao" in English pronunciation).
With a large amount of oversea Chinese restaurants promotion, Kung Pao chicken gradually gains popularity in the world. Even German Chancellor Angela Merkel is one of its fans!
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) learns to cook Kung Pao Chicken, a traditional Chinese dish, in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 6, 2014. (Xinhua file photo)
