Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 15 g ginger, peeled
• 125 ml low sodium soy sauce
• 60 ml hoisin sauce
• 40 ml shaoxing cooking wine
• 15 ml sesame oil
• 2 g Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and crushed
• 9 g granulated sugar
• 12 g corn flour
• pepper to taste
• 1.2 kg boneless and skinless chicken thigh, diced
• 1/4 cup marinade (from garlic, ginger, soy sauce, hoisin, wine, sesame oil, peppercorns, sugar, corn flour)
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 2 fresh long red chilies, sliced into 2 cm pieces
• 6 spring onions, white parts chopped into 3-4 cm pieces, green parts sliced for garnish
• 300 g jasmine rice
• 500 ml water
• pinch of salt
• 50 g chopped peanuts
• 30 ml peanut oil

Method

1. Run garlic and ginger along a microplane to create a paste, scraping out all of it.
2. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil, toasted Szechuan peppercorns, sugar, corn flour, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
3. Dice chicken into evenly sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Add 1/4 of the marinade and mix well. Marinate for about 30 minutes.
4. Cook jasmine rice: add rice, water, and salt to a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off heat, leave lid on for 4 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
5. Toast peanuts in a small pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and golden. Remove and cool.
6. Heat 30 ml peanut oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Fry chicken in batches for 6-7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
7. In the same pan, add sliced bell peppers and chilies. Cook for about 5 minutes until slightly al dente.
8. Add chopped spring onion whites and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Return chicken to the pan with vegetables. Mix well.
10. Pour in the marinade, stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken quickly due to the corn flour. Cook for 1 minute.
11. Add toasted peanuts if using, and mix everything thoroughly.
12. Turn off heat, garnish with sliced spring onion greens, and serve with rice.