General Tso Chicken

By kimrinaldi1

Ingredients

• For the sauce:
• 2 tsp (10 ml) cornstarch (cornflour)
• 2 Tbs (30 ml) rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbs (30 ml) Chinese rice wine (shao xing) or dry sherry
• 2 Tbs (30 ml) sugar
• 2 Tbs (30 ml) soy sauce
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) cornstarch (cornflour)
• 1 lb (450 g) chicken thighs, boned and cubed
• Peanut or vegetable oil for frying
• 4-6 whole dried chile pods such as hontaka or cayenne

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, thoroughly blend the 1/2 cup of cornstarch and the eggs. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Heat about 1 inch (3 cm) of peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat and fry the chicken in small batches just long enough to cook the chicken through. Drain the chicken on paper towels. (This step can be done in advance and refrigerated.) Leave a tablespoon or two of the oil in the wok. Add the chile pods to the oil and fry just until they are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until the pieces are crispy brown. Add the sauce mixture to the wok, stirring constantly until the sauce forms a glaze, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.