Kung Pao Chicken

Step 1/8

• 2 dried chilis

Immediately, soak large red chillies, whole, in hot water for 10-15 minutes

Step 2/8

• 1 onion
• 1 red bell peppers
• 200 g chicken thighs
• 2 garlic
• 2 chili peppers
• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

While the chillies are soaking, finely slice the onion and red pepper, before then cutting your chicken thighs into cubes. Set the cubed chicken into a separate bowl, then finely dice the garlic and birdseye chillies and finally crush the Sichuanese peppercorns with either a pestle and mortar or rolling pin.

Step 3/8

• ½ tsp sesame oil (for marinating)
• 1 tsp sugar (for marinating)
• ½ pinch Chinese five-spice powder (for marinating)
• ½ tbsp light soy sauce (for marinating)
• dash dark soy sauce (for marinating)
• ¼ tbsp cornflour (for marinating)

Next, marinate your chicken. Ensuring that the cornflour is introduced last, add all of the marinade ingredients to the cubed chicken and then massage well.

Step 4/8

• ½ tbsp light soy sauce (for thickening)
• ½ tbsp hoisin sauce (for thickening)
• ½ tsp rice wine (for thickening)
• 1 tbsp sugar (for thickening)
• 25 ml chicken stock (for thickening)
• ½ tsp tomato paste (for thickening)

In a separate bowl, mix all of the sauce ingredients together.

Step 5/8

At this point, your large red chilies should be soaked. Remove them from the hot water and place in a bowl with the chopped garlic, birdseye chillies and Sichuanese peppercorns to form your ‘Spice Mix’.

Step 6/8

• cashew nuts

Time to build your wok clock! On a large plate, place the sliced onions at 12 o’clock. Then arrange the peppers, spice mix, marinated chicken, sauce and cashew nuts clockwise around the edge of the plate. Time to get wokking!

Step 7/8

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok to high heat. Once smoking hot, add the onions and peppers and stir-fry for 2 minutes

Step 8/8

Push the onions and peppers to one side of the wok and add an extra 1/2 a teaspoon of oil to centre of wok. Bring the oil to a high heat and add the chicken. Allow the chicken to sit and sear on one side, before then folding it through with the peppers and onions and stir-frying until the chicken is golden brown.