Kung Pao chicken or Gong Bao or Kung Po, is a spicy stir-fry dish made with chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and chili peppers. The classic dish in Szechuan cuisine originated in the Sichuan Province of south-western China and includes Sichuan peppercorns. Although the dish is found throughout China, there are regional variations that are typically less spicy than the Sichuan serving. Kung Pao chicken is also a staple of westernized Chinese cuisine. ref
In our version, Amma used cashew nuts, maybe the elaborate or costlier version of this classic dish. It was one of her cookbook inspired day, when she suddenly realized that she has too many paper cuttings, small booklets lying around her kitchen, not to mention the piled up ones locked away in the cupboards.
She said she was either going to make them in series or just throw away the papers, as it seem extremely impossible to cook all those clippings in one lifetime! However as judged she didn't have the heart to throw away those treasures and so she set out to make from those clippings.
In our version, Amma used cashew nuts, maybe the elaborate or costlier version of this classic dish. It was one of her cookbook inspired day, when she suddenly realized that she has too many paper cuttings, small booklets lying around her kitchen, not to mention the piled up ones locked away in the cupboards.
She said she was either going to make them in series or just throw away the papers, as it seem extremely impossible to cook all those clippings in one lifetime! However as judged she didn't have the heart to throw away those treasures and so she set out to make from those clippings.
Today's Chinese dish is from the Szechuan Cuisine, very spicy and sinful. Or atleast the way it was smelling, was so heavenly. I can't wait to make this with paneer. The kids went bonkers after the first bite and there was such absolute silence for a while and I checked out to see that all were so immersed in digging into this chicken. It was through and through a thumb sup for this dish.
The recipe is from a booklet distributed by an upscale restaurant that held a food festival some years ago. It was featuring Fiery Feast, showcasing the spicy Szechuan Cuisine. As I had already said, men at home have always been foodies, what with Amma cooking different cuisines with equal aplomb. Daddy and bro were typical connoisseurs and it was not restricted to Indian cuisine. They would be willing to try anything. On the other hand, even though Hubby dear can't eat anything non spicy, he is not very fond of saucy, slimy dishes. Which means Chinese are not his favorite cuisine, even though the Szechuan cuisine is very spicy.
Previous to marriage, we used to frequent Chinese restaurants, after knowing that hubby dear is not fond of that, we stopped and started cooking those at home, with an Indian touch to it. Of course we won't add our spices. Still it has an homely touch that's more liked than from restaurant ones.
So you know I started to make the Schezwan Sauce and I had made the Szechuan Fried Rice as well, that sadly didn't go live. It will have to wait for its turn. Meanwhile enjoy this spicy chicken bites.
Ingredients Needed:
Chicken, boneless - 200 gms
Cornflour - 2 tsp
Dry Red Chilies - 5 - 6 nos
Cashew nuts - 10 nos
Chopped garlic - 1 tbsp
Soya Sauce - 1 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Ajinomoto a pinch
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Spring Onion - 1/2 cup
How to make Kung Po Chicken
Wash and cut Chicken into bite size pieces.
Marinate the chicken pieces in 1 tsp cornflour, 1/2 tsp Soya sauce, 1/4 tsp salt for 10 mins. Then deep fry the chicken along with the marinade. Keep it aside.
Fry the cashew nuts to golden brown colour. Keep it aside
Heat oil in a non stick pan, Fry the cut dry red chilies and garlic in it.
Add the fried chicken, salt, Ajinomoto, sugar, spring onion, soya sauce and chicken stock/ hot water.
Thicken it with diluted corn flour, sprinkle some spring onions and finally garnish with fried cashew nut.
This goes for the May Week 5, Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.
