China
Recipe by Mr. Cuisine — researched from regional sources and kitchen-tested
A spectacular balance of fiery dried chillies, tongue-numbing Sichuan peppercorns, and deeply tenderised chicken, all coated in a rich, glossy, savoury-sweet-sour glaze.
In a medium bowl, combine the diced chicken with the light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and baking soda. Mix thoroughly with your hands until the liquid is fully absorbed.
Velveting creates a protective barrier around the meat, trapping juices inside and ensuring the chicken remains velvety soft under fierce wok heat.
The liquid should completely disappear, leaving a thin, glossy film over the chicken pieces.
In a separate small bowl, combine all the ingredients listed under The Kung Pao Glaze (black vinegar, dark and light soy sauces, sugar, hoisin, chicken stock, and cornstarch). Whisk vigorously.
Having a pre-emulsified sauce prevents the cornstarch from clumping unevenly in the hot pan.
A uniform, dark espresso-coloured liquid with no chalky white sediment at the bottom.
Place your wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peanut oil. Once shimmering, drop in the snipped dried chillies and ground Sichuan peppercorns. Stir continuously.
This blooms the fat-soluble capsaicin and aromatic compounds, imbuing the cooking oil with the baseline heat and numbing properties of the dish.
The chillies will darken slightly to a deep maroon/red color, and the oil will become highly aromatic. Do not let them turn black.
Turn the heat up to maximum. Turn the chicken mixture into the wok, spreading it out into a single layer. Let it sear untouched for 1 minute, then begin stir-frying. When the chicken turns mostly opaque, toss in the garlic, ginger, white sections of the scallions, and the diced celery. Continuous stir-fry.
The high heat initiates the Maillard reaction on the chicken surface while briefly cooking out the raw bite of the garlic and ginger without burning them.
Chicken edges should have a light golden tint, and the aromatics will smell incredibly fragrant.
Give your prepared Kung Pao Glaze a quick re-whisk, then pour it around the sizzling hot perimeter edges of the wok rather than directly onto the meat. Stir-fry everything rapidly as the sauce bubbles up and thickens. Toss in both varieties of peanuts and the green scallion tops. Toss for another 30 seconds, then remove from heat instantly.
Pouring the sauce down the blazing hot walls of the wok flash-caramelises the sugars, developing an authentic, smoky depth.
A rich, glossy lacquer that tightly hugs the chicken and peanuts, leaving virtually no pooling liquid at the base of the pan.