A deliciously spicy stir fry with marinated chicken, stir-fried peppers, roasted peanuts and a sweet, sour, savory sauce for takeout-style kung pao chicken.
Ingredients
For the Marinade/Sauce:
- 100ml chicken broth (or water)
- 50 ml soy sauce
- 1 crushed garlic clove
- 2 tbsps black rice or balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry white wine
- 2 tsps cornstarch
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil or vegetable oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
For the Stir Fry:
- 750g chicken, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
- 1 large green pepper or zucchini, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped, or spring onions
- 2 tsp ginger, chopped, or 1/2 tsp of ground ginger
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1/2 cup peanuts, salted
Directions
For the Sauce and Marinade:
Combine stock, garlic, soy sauce, wine, vinegar, sugar, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Dissolve the corn flour in a little cold chicken stock ready for the sauce, stirring just before use.
For the Chicken:
Combine chicken with 3 or 4 tablespoons of the marinade. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
It can be marinaded longer, even overnight, but the longer it marinades the longer it will take to flash fry to golden brown.
For the Stir-Fry:
-
- Start your rice cooking a few minutes before.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat until smoking.
- Add chicken, spread into a single layer, and cook without moving until lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes, longer if lengthy marinade.
- Continue cooking, tossing and stirring frequently, until the exterior is opaque but chicken is still slightly raw in the center, about 2 minute longer.
- Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Wipe out wok and heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over high heat until smoking.
- Add bell peppers and onion and cook, stirring and tossing occasionally, until brightly colored and browned in spots, about 1 minute.
- Add peanuts and toss to combine.
- Return chicken to wok and toss to combine.
- Stir the corn flour, add to the sauce, then add to wok. Cook, tossing, until sauce thickens and coats ingredients and chicken is cooked through.
- Serve immediately.
Some Useful Chinese Condiments
Excellent info here
- Light soy sauce
- Dark Soy Sauce
- Black Rice Vinegar
- Shaoxing Rice Wine
- Oyster Sauce
- Sesame oil
- Five Spice Powder
- Sichuan Pepper
- White pepper
- Cornstarch
Essential Chinese sauces and condiments include soy sauce (light and dark), oyster sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, and Shaoxing cooking wine. These ingredients provide the foundational umami, saltiness, sweetness, and aroma necessary for most Chinese dishes.
Umami is the “fifth basic taste” alongside sweet, sour, bitter, and salty, characterized as a savory, deep flavor.
Shaoxing wine is one of the highest payoff pantry staples you can own: a tiny splash transforms marinades, sauces, and meats/fish/seafood. A small bottle lasts ages since you only use a tablespoon or two at a time — it’ll last pretty much indefinitely in the fridge once opened. The best substitutes for Shaoxing wine are dry sherry (most similar in flavor) or dry white wine. Use these in a 1:1 ratio.