Name: Kung Pao Chicken with Jasmine Rice
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 600 g chicken thighs; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon rice wine; 2 teaspoons potato starch; 3 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 100 ml poultry stock; 2 teaspoons caster sugar; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 1 teaspoon potato starch; 4 pcs spring onion; 3 cloves garlic; 20 g ginger; 6 pcs chilli peppers; 1 teaspoon sichuan pepper; 80 g peanuts; rapeseed oil; 300 g jasmine rice; 450 ml water; 1 teaspoon salt

Step by step process

Preparation

1
Pat the boneless chicken thighs for kung pao dry, cut them into even cubes, and place them in a bowl.
2
Coat the cubes with potato starch, soy sauce, and rice wine.
TIP:
Before quickly stir-frying in a wok, marinate the meat in soy sauce, wine, or another liquid with a little starch. It creates a delicate coating, keeps the meat juicy, and lightly thickens the sauce.
3
Set the meat aside and marinate for 10 minutes.
4
Cut the scallions diagonally, finely chop the garlic, and grate the ginger.
5
In a bowl whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chicken stock, sugar, sesame oil, and potato starch.

Cooking the Rice

6
Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until clear.
TIP:
Rinse the rice several times in cold water until the water is almost clear. This washes away excess starch, so the grains stick together less after cooking and the rice will be more delicate and fluffier.
7
Tip the rice into a saucepan, pour in water, add a little salt, and bring to a gentle boil.
8
Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer the rice for about 12 minutes.

Stir-Frying

9
Heat the rapeseed oil in a wok and sear the chicken cubes.
TIP:
First, heat the wok thoroughly and fry the ingredients in smaller batches. Thanks to the high temperature, the meat quickly sears and browns. An overcrowded wok, on the other hand, cools down and starts steaming the food.
10
Move the seared meat to a plate so it stays juicy, and leave only a thin film of oil in the wok.
11
Toss in the dried chilies and Sichuan pepper, then toast briefly until fragrant.
12
Add the garlic, ginger, and white scallion parts.
13
Return the seared chicken to the wok, pour in the prepared sauce, and stir quickly until it thickens.
14
Fold in the peanuts and green scallion tops.