I was wondering what does its name mean, and I came across the information that the dish is believed to be named after a Qing Dynasty official from the late 1800s whose title was Gongbao, meaning "palace guardian". The dish was then renamed due to some political disagreements, and got back its original name in the 1980s. I don't really know how much of this is true, but it's an interesting story...
The recipe you'll find here is not really the authentic one: I had to make some minor changes as I couldn't find some of the original ingredients, but I can assure you the taste is almost the same! So, here it is - the Must be good version of Kung Pao Chicken! :)
You'll need the following ingredients:
for the marinade:
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and:
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It's quite a long list, but do not let it turn you away! :) Just follow the next few simple steps!
Directions:
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3. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Defrost the vegetable mix.
- Slice the scallions and the garlic.
- In a small bowl combine cornstarch, sugar, ginger powder, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add water, wine, vinegar and soy sauce and stir well. In the end, add the sesame seeds and stir once again.
- Bring some water to boiling, add 1 teaspoon of salt and the rice, and cook until soft and tender. Drain and set aside.
4. Now, let's get back to the meat!
Heat the 2 Tbsp of oil into a deep pan and add the meat with the marinade. Cook stirring often until it becomes soft and tender.
5. Add scallions, garlic and the vegetable mix and cook for a few more minutes, until everything softens.
6. It the end, add peanuts and pour in the spiced liquid mixture, stir well and cook for a minute or two, until the sauce thickens. Remove from fire.
You can add some more salt, if needed, and some more hot pepper flakes if you want your dish a bit hotter.
Put some cooked rice on a plate and top with the Kung Pao chicken. Serve warm.
Enjoy and bon appétit!