General Tso's Chicken...

General Tso's Chicken...

General Tso's chicken is the most well known and beloved of Chinese cuisine in America. It is in every chinese buffet line.  Almost nobody in Hunan has ever heard of General Tso’s Chicken, the most famous Hunan dish in America. Like many other American-Chinese favorite, the roots to China are vague but interesting.The real roots of the dish lie in the post-1949 exodus of chefs to the United States. The dish is reported to have been introduced to New York City in the early 1970s as an example of Hunan cooking, though it is not typical of Hunanese cuisine, which is traditionally very spicy and rarely sweet...This recipe is easy to make and is not to hot and spicy, it can be enjoyed by all ages...

General Tso’s Chicken

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 peanut or vegetable oil for frying, plus 1 tablespoon for stir-frying
 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

Marinade:
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 egg whites

Sauce:
1/4 cup chicken stock, or substitute water
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili paste
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

1. Prepare the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, and egg whites. Coat the chicken to the marinade mixture and let sit for 10 minutes.(or longer)

2. Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, sesame oil, sugar, and the 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Stir until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Set the sauce aside.

3. In a large bowl or deep plate, toss the 1 1/2 cups cornstarch with the salt and pepper. Coat the marinated chicken in the cornstarch and shake off any excess before frying.

4. Heat the 3 cups of peanut or vegetable oil in your wok until it registers 350°F on an instant-read oil thermometer. Working in 2 or 3 batches, add the first batch of chicken cubes and fry until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.

5. Drain the oil into a heatproof container and save for discarding. Wipe the wok with a paper towel to remove any brown bits, but don’t wash.

6. Reheat the wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add another 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the base and sides. Add the dried chilies and garlic to the wok and stir-fry until just fragrant, about 20 seconds. Pour in the sauce mixture and stir until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.

7. Return the chicken to the skillet and stir well to coat with sauce. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish. Garnish with white sesame seeds. Serve with white rice

egg white, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar, whip together and then add chicken pieces...you can use either dark or white meat, or a combination...let rest in the fridge until you are ready to finish...or at least 10 minutes

chicken ready to go, cornstarch ready....

oil pert near ready....

deep fry the chicken in small batches....takes about 5 minutes each batch...drain on paper towels and keep warm...

add the oil and red pepper flakes and garlic to the skillet or a wok over medium high heat, brown for 20 seconds and then add your sauce mix....

cook for about 1 minute, it will thicken very quickly....then...

add your chicken and stir to coat! It is ready to serve...

This is so very, very good! It is sweet and hot, not to hot, my 14 year old, and very particular granddaughter, loved it.....and you will too! Why go for take-out? My sister Mary bought some of those really cute Chinese takeout containers at the restaurant supply store...this would be so darn cute served in them...

Cheers to Happy!!