Fall back No. 1: Kung pao

I have three dishes that I keep in my back pocket -- figuratively -- because I know they will go over well, and I can make them with any meat I have in the house, or happen to feel like eating that night. Today, I offer up the first: Kung pao.

Between the ages of 16 and 23, I pretty much exclusively ate at Subway and Chinese restaurants. And when I went for Chinese, I would've been hard-pressed to tell you what they had on the menu other than chop suey, lo mein and egg rolls. On a trip to Epcot, I went to Nine Dragons, the Chinese restaurant there, and decided to try something different. I went for the kung pao. The waitress told me not to eat the chile peppers. Whatever, I thought. I should've listened. But beyond the burn, I liked it. So that became my new staple.

At least, until a study came out and announced it was just about the most unhealthy thing you could possibly eat. Then I found a recipe for a lighter version in a book called Don't Eat Your Heart Out, by a doctor named Joseph Piscatella. I've amended it over the years to suit my taste, but don't think I've done anything to compromise it too much.

I make it with chicken, but pork? Sure. Beef, shrimp? Absolutely. Tofu? Um, sure, I guess.

Kung pao

1 cup low sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbls rice wine vinegar
2 tsp hot chili oil, more or less, to taste (if you don't have chili oil, Tabasco would  be different, but work in the same way)
3 dried chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbls ginger, chopped

2 tbls olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 small can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 tbls corn starch
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
chopped scallion

put first seven ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat. allow to steep while you cook everything else.

heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. add chicken. don't crowd the chicken, even if it means cooking the chicken in batches. after the chicken is added, don't touch it for 2-3 minutes. then, flip each piece to cook the other side. the side that went in initially should be golden brown. after another minute or so, remove the chicken to a plate, leaving the oil in the skillet. saute the onion, garlic and celery until the onion softens. then add the pepper, water chestnuts and cooked chicken and saute it all together.

strain the liquid mixture into the skillet. in a small bowl, whisk the corn starch into 1/4-cup of water. stir corn starch mixture into the skillet and bring to a boil until the liquid thickens.

serve over rice and top with peanuts and scallions.

Comments

[Shirley J. Buttacavoli]

Jim, this sounds awesome, and if you consider the first of your "must have" recipes, I know it will be good. Just have to purchase the chili oil and I'm good to go. Thanks!