Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

• 450 g (1 lb) Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce, for the chicken
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, for the chicken
• 2 tsp Cornflour (cornstarch), for the chicken
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce, for the sauce
• 1 tbsp Black rice vinegar (Chinkiang) or balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp Cornflour (cornstarch), for the sauce
• 3 tbsp Water
• 2 tbsp Neutral oil
• 8 Dried red chillies, snipped in half, seeds shaken out for less heat
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, optional
• 3 Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp Fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 Red pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 Spring onions, cut into short lengths
• 57 g (2 oz) Roasted unsalted peanuts
• Steamed rice, to serve

You’ll need: Wok or large frying pan, Instant-read thermometer

Method

1. 1

   Marinate. Mix the chicken with the 1 tbsp soy sauce, wine and 2 tsp cornflour. Leave it for 15 minutes while you prepare everything else. A stir-fry moves fast, so have every ingredient within reach of the stove.

2. 2

   Mix the sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the 2 tbsp soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, 1 tsp cornflour and the water until the sugar and cornflour dissolve.

3. 3

   Fry the spices. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns and stir for 15 to 20 seconds, until the chillies darken slightly and smell toasty. Do not let them burn: they turn bitter. Open a window, as the fumes are sharp.

4. 4

   Sear the chicken. Raise the heat to high and add the chicken in a single layer. Leave it for 1 minute to brown, then stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes more, until no pink remains.

5. 5

   Add the aromatics. Add the garlic, ginger, pepper and spring onions and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and the pepper is just tender.

6. 6

   Sauce and finish. Stir the sauce, pour it in and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, until it turns glossy and clings to the chicken. Check that the largest piece of chicken is cooked through, at least 75°C (167°F). Stir in the peanuts and serve straight away with steamed rice.