You should all know by now that Kung Pao Chicken, which I refer to simply as KPC, is my favorite meal on the planet. Obviously I love all food, but I could eat KPC for every meal and be perfectly happy. Unfortunately, the numbing sweetness of Sichuan peppercorn is crucial to my enjoyment of the dish, and since moving to the Bay Area, I’ve actually had a surprisingly hard time finding it in the Asian markets. I’ve been thus unable to satisfy my KPC cravings since before Covid started - the Chinese restaurants in my area don’t include Sichuan peppercorn in their KPCs for some reason. Maybe they also find it difficult to source? Anyway I finally went to work a few weeks ago for the first time in over a year and stopped by some obscure Vietnamese market near the office, about 40 minutes from my house, and omg they had some in stock! I rushed home and made as many Chinese dishes as I could think of. Obviously KPC came first.
This version, though I didn’t use dried chilis, as is the authentic way to prepare the dish, did taste just like the KPCs I’ve gotten in China and Taiwan. The sauce was sticky and sweet, and of course numbing from my beloved Sichuan peppercorn, though not overly glossy and thick like it is in a lot of American Chinese restaurants. Crunch and extra savory notes are provided by the addition of roasted peanuts. With every mouthful, there are bursts of sweetness from the bell pepper, like grapes popping in your mouth. I served the chicken with scallion pancakes that I fried in sesame oil, and the sesame notes really complimented the chicken. Usually I would add the sesame oil to fried rice and serve that alongside the PC, but in this case, I left it with the scallion pancakes, and separately made fried rice flavored mainly with Sichuan peppercorn and Chinese sausage. It was all really harmonious, and a pleasure to eat. I have the scallion pancake recipe posted here, but the fried rice, I’m afraid, is just an empty-the-fridge recipe made of leftover rice, Chinese sausage, whatever veggies I had in the fridge, and seasoned simply with soy sauce and Sichuan peppercorn. The KPC would pair perfectly well with plain steamed rice too, so no worries if you can’t figure out a good fried rice recipe!
Butter Count: It’s Chinese, so the butter is cornstarch
INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp Water
3 Tbsp soy sauce, divided
1 Tbsp bean sauce
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 Tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
2 Tbsp sriracha
1 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorn
2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 Tbsp corn starch
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 medium bell pepper, diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add the water, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, bean sauce, ginger, Shaoxing rice wine, sriracha, garlic, and Sichuan peppercorn to a small bowl and whisk vigorously with a fork to combine.
Add the chicken and remaining 1 Tbsp soy sauce to a medium bowl and stir to coat the chicken. Add the cornstarch to the bowl and stir well. Leave the chicken to rest and marinate for at least 15 minutes, no longer than 1 hour.
Add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil to a wok. Place the wok over medium heat and heat until the oil seems hot. Dip a rubber spatula into the chicken so some cornstarch gets on it and dip it into the oil. When it starts to bubble and splatter, add all of the chicken to the wok.
Spread the chicken into an even layer and then begin to quickly stir fry it, stirring constantly, until it is almost cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and let it rest. Wipe the wok out with a clean, dry paper towel.
Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil to the wok and heat over high heat. Drop a single bell pepper in, and when it starts to bubble and splatter, add the rest of the pepper. Cook while stirring until the pepper begins to soften, about 1 minute. Add the green onions and peanuts, and stir two or three times before adding the chicken back into the wok. Stir to combine, and then add the sauce, using a rubber spatula to make sure you get it all. Stir fry a few minutes until the sauce is thickened to your liking.
Transfer the KPC to a serving dish, and serve over white rice, or along side fried rice and scallion pancakes.