Kung Pao Chicken

 

 

Kung Pao chicken is a traditional Sichuan dish and is also known as Kung Po chicken, Kong Pao chicken, Kung Pow chicken and Gang Bao chicken. This authentic dish is a delicious combination of peanuts, chicken, spices and vegetables. The most important ingredient of Kung Pao chicken recipe is the Sichuan peppercorn.

 

History Of Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao chicken is a sweet, sour, salty and spicy dish that originates from the Sichuan Province of central-western China.

Kung Pao chicken is named after a courtier Ding Baozhen of late Qing dynasty. It is known that Ding was a foodie who relished diced stir fry chicken very much. He improvised the recipe by adding chili peppers and the spicy dish tasted better and was liked by everyone in the court. Ding was later titled Taizi Shaobao meaning protector of crown prince and was also referred as Kung Pao, a shortened version of his imperial title. The recipe of spicy stir fried chicken was named after him and was called Kong Pao chicken.

 

Method And Ingredients Used For Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

To cook this chicken the major ingredients used are diced chicken, Sichuan peppercorns and peanuts. Various spices and herbs are also used in Kung Pao chicken recipe to add to the flavor. The diced chicken is marinated and left for some time. Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers are heated in oil and the marinated chicken is stir fried in the flavored oil. The peanuts are also fried along with the chicken. Shaoxing wine is used to increase the flavor of Kung Pao chicken recipe.

 

Variations In Kung Pao chicken Recipe

Kong Pao chicken is a popular Sichuan dish and the recipe has many variations. In Thailand, fish sauce and sweet sauce is used to add flavors to Kung Pao chicken recipe. The American cuisine offers Kong Pao which is sweet to taste and is oily and gooey.The Chinese Kung Pao recipe sometimes includes cucumber and carrots.The Chinese version of the dish contains Sichuan peppercorns as a main ingredient, but the Western version does notincludes it. In UK, celery, carrots, water chestnuts and Chinese cabbage is used as ingredients. Hoisin sauce and oyster sauce is used to add the flavors of this recipe.

 

Serving Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao chicken tastes delicious when served hot. This dish pairs well with fried rice or noodles. Kung Pow chicken can be relished at either lunch or dinner. White wine such as Sauvignon Blanc from California or South Africa is one of the drinks that go well with this spicy chicken dish.

 

Nutritional Value Of Kong Pao Chicken

A cup of Kong Pow chicken has approximately 434 calories. This recipe is high on fats also. To make this recipe healthier, the chicken can be stir fried instead of deep frying.

 

Kong Pao Chicken: Trivia

From 1968 to 2005 it was prohibited to import Sichuan peppercorns into the United States. They were regarded as potential carriers of citrus canker which is a tree disease that can harm the citrus crops.