Recipe: a classic Sichuan cuisines dish, the Kung Pao Chiken

Kung Pao chicken is a deliciously spicy stir fry Chinese dish with juicy chicken chunks, chili peppers, fresh vegetables and finished off with a mouthwatering spicy sweet sauce and toasted peanuts the best part is you can whip it up in 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp rice wine

• ¼ tsp white pepper

• 5 tbsp soy sauce

• 4 tbsp hoisin sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced

• 2 tsp fresh ginger peeled and grated

For the chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts chopped into bite

• 1 tsp cornflour/cornstarch

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 8-10 small red chili peppers or 1 tsp red pepper flakes

• 2 red bell peppers, chopped into squares

• 2 medium sized courgettes, chopped into chunks

• 10 spring onions, chopped roughly

• ½ cup unsalted peanuts or cashews if you prefer

To garnish:

• 1 tbsp peanuts

• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

2. Place the chopped chicken in a separate bowl and mix with the cornflour/cornstarch.

3. Then stir in 1/3 of the marinade ingredients into the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 12 hours). Reserve the remaining 2/3 of the marinade for the sauce.

4. Add the oil to your wok, heat on a high heat and then add the chicken (using a slotted spoon to remove from the marinade). Fry until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.

5. Add in the red chili peppers or flakes, stir for a minute and then add red peppers, courgettes and spring onions. Cook for a further 4-5 minutes until heated through, but still crunchy.

6. Add in the reserved 2/3 of the marinade and the chili’s and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.

7. Add in the peanuts just before serving, and give them a quick stir.

8. Serve immediately and garnish with extra peanuts and sesame seeds.

9. Serve over boiled rice or rice noodles.

Enjoy!