Kung Pao Chicken Redux

Our quest for the best Kung Pao Chicken continues, my husband on occasion makes it. Each time he tweaks it a  bit to try to find the Nirvana we are looking for.  This was close, the fried Chili's make all the difference.

1.25 -1.5 pounds chicken (we used 1/2 boneless skinless breast portions and 1/2 boneless skinless thighs, rinse and remove large fat pieces) Cube into about 1/2" squares

2 teaspoons corn starch

4 teaspoons soy sauce

4 teaspoons Shao Xing (if you cant find Shao Xing ask for Shao Sing it's cooking rice wine -- same product)

3 tablespoons peanut oil

10 dried red chilies (whole)

5 dried red chilies coarsely chopped

5 green onions (sliced)

1/3 white onion diced largely

2 tablespoons garlic (chopped)

2 tablespoons ginger (1 tsp grated, one chopped finely)

2 teaspoon dark soy sauce

2 teaspoon light soy sauce

5 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar

1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil (the dark stuff)

3 tablespoon chicken stock

3 tablespoons Oyster sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 generous handful roasted peanuts 

Mix the chicken, cornstarch, water, soy sauce, and rice wine in a plastic bag and let marinate for 10-20 minutes

Heat the oil in a pan until hot, then ad the red chilies and sichuan peppercorns and fry until fragrant, about a minute -- they will smoke and blacken, turn often, watch carefully and remove the peppers from the oil immediately once it looks like they start to burn (if you eat these, and I DO, they have a WONDERFUL peanutty flavor)

Let the oil get back to near smoking hot, add the chicken and saute for a minute or so per side, turning often to get a good sear

Add the white part of the green onions, the white onion, garlic and ginger.

Add the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chicken stock, oyster sauce, sugar and corn starch and cook until the chicken is cooked and the sauce thickens, a couple of minutes.

Serve with rice, garnished with the peanuts and the green part of the green onions.