Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

• 450g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing rice wine
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
• 10 dried red chilies, halved and seeds shaken out
• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole Sichuan peppercorns
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 3 scallions, whites sliced and greens cut into 1-inch pieces, separated
• 1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

Before you cook

• Pat the chicken cubes dry with paper towels.
• Stir the chicken with 2 teaspoons soy sauce, the rice wine and 2 teaspoons cornstarch; let it sit for 15 minutes.
• Whisk the black vinegar, chicken stock, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and sesame oil together in a small bowl.
• Halve the dried chilies and shake out the seeds.
• Mince the garlic and ginger.
• Slice the scallion whites and cut the greens into 1-inch pieces, keeping them separate.

Steps

1. Heat a wok over high heat until it just starts to smoke.
2. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil.
3. Add the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns and stir-fry for about 20 seconds until fragrant, watching closely so they don't burn.
4. Scoop the chilies and peppercorns out and set them aside.
5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil to the wok.
6. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and let it sear undisturbed for 1 minute.
7. Stir-fry the chicken for 2 more minutes until just cooked through.
8. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
9. Add the garlic, ginger and scallion whites to the wok and stir-fry for 20 seconds until fragrant.
10. Return the chicken and the fried chilies and peppercorns to the wok.
11. Give the sauce a quick stir and pour it into the wok.
12. Toss everything over high heat for 45 seconds until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
13. Stir in the peanuts and scallion greens.
14. Serve immediately over steamed rice.