General Tso's Chicken
From what I read, General Tso's Chicken originated in Hunan, China. However almost nobody
in Hunan has ever heard of this dish, which is the most famous Hunan dish in America. It
became popular in America through some enterprising Taiwanese chefs who opened Hunan restaurants in New York in the 1970s. To appeal to American diners, the chefs adapted the very
spicy sauces to less spicy and sweeter to suit the American taste.
General Tso's Chicken is one of the most popular Chinese take away dish in the United States.
This restaurant favourite dish is also known as General Tsao's or Tao's or Tzo's Chicken. Whatever
it's called, the great news is it's not that tedious to prepare it at home.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Vegetable oil ( frying )
- 300g Boneless skinless chicken meat ( thigh or breast ): Cut into bite size pieces
Marinade:
- 1 Egg
- 1 tablespoon Chinese wine
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- Pinch of white pepper
Dry coating:
- 1/2 cup Cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon Baking powder
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Chopped green onion
- 1 clove Garlic
- 4-5 pieces Dried red chillies ( rinsed and descended )
- 1 strip Orange zest
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon Chinese wine
- 3 slices Ginger ( minced )
- 2 tablespoon Chinese rice vinegar
- 2 1/2 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Water or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Peanut oil
Thickening:
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon Water
Method:
- Marinate the chicken cubes with Chinese wine, salt, pepper and sugar for at least 15 minutes. Heat oil in wok or deep fryer on high heat.
- Beat the egg in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken cubes and mix well. Mix in the cornstarch and baking powder a little bit at a time until the chicken cubes are well coated.
- Deep fry the chicken cubes in batches one by one until they turns golden brown and begin to float (about 3 minutes). Remove from wok and allow to cool as you fry the next batch. Once all the chicken cubes has been fried, refry the chicken, starting with the batch that was fried first. Cook until the chicken cubes turn deep golden brown (about 2 minutes). Drain on paper towel lined plate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in wok over high heat. Stir in green onions, garlic, chillies and orange zest. Cook until garlic turns golden brown and the chillies brighten (a minute or two). Add the sugar, ginger, chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and peanut oil. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon cornstarch into water. Stir into the boiling sauce. Return to a boil, cook until the sauce thickens (1 minute). Stir in the fried chicken cubes into the boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook for a few minutes until the chicken cubes absorbs some of the sauce and is well coated.
- Sprinkle some chopped green onions on top and served hot with steam rice.
Notes:
- I prefer to use boneless chicken thigh to chicken breast for a juicier bite
- Use egg whites instead of whole eggs to bind the cornstarch to the meat.
- Refry the chicken cubes to get very crispy chicken.
To fry chicken cubes:
Mix the marinade into the chicken cubes.
Add the mixed cornstarch and baking powder a little bit at a time
Until chicken cubes are well coated
Heat up the oil
In batches drop the chicken cubes one at a time in the oil
Cook until they turn golden brown ..... drained on paper towel and allow to cool
Refry until the chicken cubes turn deep golden brown
To make sauce:
Heat up oil over high heat
Stir in the green onions
Also the garlic
And the dried chillies and orange zest ... stir fry until garlic turns golden brown and you smell the aroma of the chillies
Add the sugar and ginger
Then add soy sauce, vinegar, streak of sesame, broth and peanut oil
Mix everything together. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes
Then thicken with cornstarch liquid .. Cook for about 1 minute
Stir in the chicken into the thickened sauce
Reduce heat to low and cook until the chicken cubes are well coated and have absorbed some of the sauce.
Topped with some chopped green onions in a serving plate and served immediately
Great to serve this delicious dish with hot steamed rice ...... ENJOY!
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Another great dish. Sweet and sour is always a good choice especially when there is no appetite to eat.
ReplyDeleteVery happy it caught your attention. thanks for comment Esther
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