Kung Pao chicken is a famous Chinese and foreign characteristic traditional dish, which is included in Shandong cuisine, Sichuan cuisine and Guizhou cuisine, with different raw materials and practices. This dish originated from the fried chicken with soy sauce in Shandong cuisine and the chicken with chili pepper in Guizhou cuisine. Later, it was improved and developed by Ding Baozhen, the governor of Shandong and governor of Sichuan in the Qing Dynasty, and formed a new dish – Kung Pao chicken, which was also classified as Beijing court cuisine.
Origin of Kung Pao chicken
Kung Pao chicken, as a classic and famous dish in Sichuan cuisine, contains rich historical and cultural background. The origin of this dish name is closely related to the famous official Ding Baozhen during the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty. Ding Baozhen, who served as the governor of Shandong and was later promoted to the governor of Sichuan, was not only an outstanding politician but also a food enthusiast. It is said that during his tenure in Shandong, Ding Baozhen often called on famous chefs from Jinan to cook various delicacies for him, among which one dish, fried chicken with oil, was particularly popular among him. Whenever entertaining guests, this dish is always essential and can win the guests’ praise every time.
Later, Ding Baozhen was appointed as the governor of Sichuan and brought this oil exploded chicken to Sichuan as well. Under the careful improvement of Sichuan chefs, the production process of this dish has become more refined, and the taste has become even more exquisite. In the end, this dish was presented as a tribute dish to the emperor by officials in Sichuan and gradually developed into a famous imperial dish. Since Ding Baozhen was once the crown prince of Shaobao and was named “Gong Bao”, this dish has become a representative dish of Sichuan cuisine with the fame of “Kung Pao chicken”.
Raw materials of Kung Pao chicken
The raw materials of Kung Pao chicken are relatively simple, but each of them is very important. They together constitute the unique flavor of this dish. The main raw materials include:
Chicken breast meat: As the main ingredient of this dish, chicken breast meat is known for its tender texture and delicious taste. It is rich in high-quality protein and an important source of nutrients for the human body.
Peanut: Peanut is one of the indispensable ingredients in Kung Pao chicken. After deep frying, the peanuts are crispy and delicious, forming a sharp contrast with the freshness and tenderness of the diced chicken, adding rich flavor layers to this dish.
Dry chili: The addition of dry chili brings a unique spicy taste and aroma to Kung Pao chicken. Dried chili peppers, which are abundant in Sichuan region, are famous for their bright red color and rich spicy flavor, and are one of the indispensable seasonings in Sichuan cuisine.
Garlic, ginger and scallion: these spices play a vital role in Sichuan cuisine. They can remove the fishy smell of food materials, increase the aroma of dishes, and make Kung Pao chicken taste more delicious.
Seasoning: including light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, aged vinegar, white sugar, chicken essence, starch, etc. These seasonings, after careful preparation, can form the unique sour, sweet and slightly spicy taste of Kung Pao chicken, giving people endless aftertaste.
Practice of Kung Pao chicken
Although the production process of Kung Pao chicken seems simple, each step needs careful operation to make a delicious dish with excellent flavor. The following is a common practice of Kung Pao chicken:
Preparation materials: Wash the chicken breast and cut it into diced pieces. Use cooking wine, salt, and a little starch to evenly marinate for ten minutes; Stir fry peanuts until cooked and set aside for later use; Cut dried chili into sections; Garlic and ginger slices; Cut scallions into sections and set aside.
Juice mixing: Take an empty bowl, add one tablespoon each of light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and aged vinegar, an appropriate amount of white sugar, a little chicken essence, starch, and two tablespoons of water to mix well and set aside.
Stir fried chicken breast: Heat up the wok over high heat, add base oil, first add a few Sichuan peppercorns and fry until fragrant, then remove the Sichuan peppercorns and add dried chili peppers to burst the red oil. Then add scallions, ginger, and garlic and stir fry until fragrant. Then add marinated chicken breast and stir fry quickly until it changes color.
Add ingredients: Put the stir fried peanuts, chopped green peppers, diced carrots, and other ingredients into a pot, and quickly stir fry them together with chicken breast.
Pour in the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into the pot, quickly cut open and stir fry until the sauce is complete. At this time, the color of Kung Pao chicken will become more bright and attractive, and the taste will become more rich.
Dish and plate: After the soup is dried, Kung Pao chicken can be put out of the pot and plate. At this time, the Kung Pao chicken is bright red in color, fragrant, delicious, sweet and sour, slightly spicy.
