宫爆鸡丁 (Kung Pao Chicken)

Today is an epic day. After about 4 years of Market to Meal being written out of my home in China, I'm posting my first Chinese dish. Its not that you all haven't asked for it. Its not that I haven't wanted to oblige. I just don't usually cook Chinese food. And I don't have a helper that cooks to glean wisdom from. If we want Chinese food, we go down the street and eat at a restaurant. I have not wanted to give you fake American style Chinese recipes either. But a few months in the US this year has forced my hand. Prior to leaving our China home, I went to our favorite little dishes restaurant and watched how they made a couple of our favorites. Between my hurried notes, the help of a friend or two, and some trial and error, I'm bringing you a recipe at last. Gong Bao (US restaurants say Kung Pao). Mmmm! This homemade version has been a decent substitute for us while here in the US. Its not quite as good as our favorites at home, but it works. Its sadly missing some wosun (a green Chinese root vegetable). I hope you'll enjoy it! If you other China people have some tricks for this dish that might make it better, let me know!

宫爆鸡丁 (Kung Pao Chicken)
2 chicken breasts, diced small
4-5 spring onions, white part only, thinly sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced or diced to preference
1 inch ginger, sliced
5+ dried red peppers, sliced in half
1 tsp hua jiao (Sichuan numbing pepper/Prickly Ash)
1/3 cup peanuts
1 - 2 Tbs oil

Marinade
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs light soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp potato or corn starch
1 Tbs water

Sauce
1 - 2 Tbs water
1 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs dark vinegar
1/2 Tbs dark soy sauce
1/2 Tbs light soy sauce
1 tsp chicken bullion granules
3/4 tsp potato or corn starch

In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade. Add diced chicken and set aside for about 10 minutes while you prepare remaining ingredients. For the sauce, take another small bowl and whisk together the ingredients. Set aside. Have all ingredients measured, prepped and ready. Place oil in a wok or large skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add garlic, ginger, dried peppers and hua jiao and cook for about one minute to flavor the oil a bit. Add in the diced chicken including any juice from the marinade. Cook until chicken is done. Add in sauce and stir to combine. Add peanuts and green onion. Stir together and serve!

Notes: Here in the US and in China, I typically use a low sodium soy. That is what I used for the light soy in the marinade and sauce. A friend recommended using park dark soy as well and it really made a difference. The dark vinegar really helps the flavor as well--the one I bought here in the US is called ChinKiang vinegar. The labels in Asian markets in the US are very helpful with English on them! I have used ginger powder in a pinch--about 1/4 tsp.