Kung pao chicken

Ingredients

For 4 servings.

1 cup = 240 ml; 1 tablespoon = 15 ml; 1 teaspoon = 5 ml. Use metric quantities where stated. Times and servings are indicative.

• 340 g diced chicken breast
• 1 cup raw peanuts
• 3 tbsp + 2 tsp oil
• 2 tsp cornflour, divided
• 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
• 1/8 tsp salt and 1 pinch white pepper
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce and 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar and 3 tbsp water
• 3 garlic cloves and 2 ginger slices
• 2 dried chillies
• 1/2 tsp Sichuan pepper
• 6 spring onions, white parts

Step-by-step method

1. Marinate chicken for 20 minutes with 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp cornflour, wine, salt and white pepper.
2. Toast peanuts in another teaspoon of oil, stirring; remove and cool.
3. Mix both soy sauces, vinegar, sugar, water and remaining cornflour.
4. Stir-fry chicken in 2 tbsp oil; set aside. Fry aromatics and spring onions in remaining oil.
5. Return chicken, add the stirred sauce and cook until thickened and the meat is cooked through; add peanuts.