Al's General Tso Chicken

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly roasted sichuan peppercorn
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 large chicken legs with thigh or 2 (3/4 lb) chicken breasts, boned and skinned, fat and membranes removed, and cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, for dusting
• 2 1/2 tablespoons dark soy sauce or 2 1/2 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons chinese rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons shao-hsing rice wine
• 6 small dried hot chili peppers
• 1/4 cup finely sliced green onion
• 3 1/2 cups peanut oil or 3 1/2 cups cooking oil, for deep-frying and stir-frying

Recipe

• 1 in a pestle and mortar grind the sichuan pepper and salt together into a fine powder, cover the sliced chicken with the salt and sichuan pepper mixture.
• 2 in a bowl, mix together the egg, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch.
• 3 add the chicken slices, mix to coat, and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
• 4 in a small bowl, combine the wet sauce ingredients, sugar and reserve.
• 5 heat a wok over high heat.
• 6 add oil and heat to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• 7 in batches, using tongs, remove the chicken slices individually, dust with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and place in the oil.
• 8 deep-fry for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is browned and crispy.
• 9 remove the chicken with a chinese strainer and drain well.
• 10 turn off the heat.
• 11 pour off all but 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok.
• 12 heat the wok over high heat until a little smoke appears from the oil.
• 13 add the chilies and stir for 15 seconds.
• 14 add the garlic and ginger followed by the green onion and stir for 30 seconds.
• 15 add the chicken and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• 16 stir the sauce mixture, pour into the wok, stir well, and cook until the chicken slices are completely coated with sauce, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• 17 turn off the heat, and serve.