Feast of the Dragon
6 chinese food recipescanada
(Jan.26.12)
4 of 9
General Tso’s Chicken
This popular dish has its roots in Hunan and was rumored to be named after a dish loved by 19th-century General Tso Tsung-t’ang. It was actually the creation of chef Peng Chang-kuei, who came up with the sweet and spicy chicken dish in the late 1970s at his New York City restaurant in an effort to please the American palate. This recipe by Fuchsia Dunlop pays homage to the less sweet Hunan-style version.
You’ll Need:
Chicken
4 chicken thighs, boned with skin (about 12 ounces/340 g total)
6 to 10 dried red chiles
Peanut oil, for deep-frying
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Marinade
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons potato flour
2 teaspoons peanut oil
Sauce
1 tablespoon double-concentrate tomato paste (mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
½ teaspoon potato flour
½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
1½ teaspoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon clear rice vinegar
3 tablespoons water
Thinly sliced green onions as garnish
Directions:
1. For the chicken: Unfold the chicken thighs and lay them, skin side down, on a
chopping board. (If some parts are very thick, lay your knife flat and slice them in half,
parallel to the board.) Use a sharp knife to make a few shallow crisscross cuts into the
meat—this will help the flavors to penetrate. Cut each thigh into bite-sized slices,
approximately ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Place the chicken slices in a bowl.
2. For the marinade: Add the soy sauces and egg yolk to the chicken and mix well,
then stir in the potato flour and the oil; set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
3. For the sauce: Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Use a pair of scissors to snip the dried chiles into ¾-inch (18-mm) pieces, discarding
the seeds as much as possible.
5. In a wok or medium saucepan, heat enough peanut oil to deep-fry the chicken over
medium heat until it reaches 350 to 400°F (180 to 200°C). Add the chicken and deep-fry
until it is crisp and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. If you are deep-frying in a wok with a
relatively small volume of oil, fry the chicken in batches. Remove the chicken from the
pan and drain briefly on paper towels.
6. Return the wok to a high flame with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the peanut oil. Add the
dried chiles and stir-fry briefly until they are fragrant and just changing color, about 30
seconds (do not burn them). Toss in the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds
longer, until fragrant. Then add the sauce and stir as it thickens, about 1 minute.
7. Return the chicken to the wok and stir vigorously to coat the pieces in the sauce.
Remove from the heat, stir in the sesame oil, and then serve, sprinkled with green onions.
Serves 4
Recipe and image excerpted from The Flavors of Asia by Mai Pham. Published by DK Publishing, Inc.. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the book now!