Kung Pao Chicken

Taken from the "Company's Coming Asian Cooking" cookbook. We make this on a regular basis, and it's always delicious. Try not to substitute, as the specialty ingredients are what make it special and unique.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 4 cups

Ingredients

• Sauce

• 2  tablespoons water
• 1  tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1  tablespoon soy sauce
• 1⁄2-1  teaspoon sambal oelek (chili paste)
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch

• Chicken Mixture

• 1  tablespoon soy sauce
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1  lb boneless skinless chicken breast, diced
• 1  teaspoon  sesame oil
• 1  large  egg white, fork beaten
• 1  garlic clove, crushed (may substitute 1/4 tsp garlic powder)

• Carrot Mixture

• 1  tablespoon  sesame oil
• 1  garlic clove, crushed (may substitute 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  finely grated gingerroot (may substitute 1/8 tsp gound ginger)
• 2  small carrots, thinly sliced on sharp diagonal

• Pepper Mixture

• 1⁄2 medium green pepper, diced
• 1⁄2 medium  red pepper, diced (may omit green pepper and use 1 whole red)
• 1 -5  fresh small red chile, remove seeds and ribs if less heat is desired
• 3  green onions, cut on diagonal into 1 inch (2.5 cm)

• For cooking chicken

• 1  tablespoon  cooking oil

• Serve with either

• 250  g  rice vermicelli
• 4  cups white rice

Directions

1. Sauce: Stir first 5 ingredients in small cup until smooth. Set aside.
2. Chicken: Stir second amount of soy sauce into second amount of cornstarch in medium bowl until smooth. Add chicken, sesame oil, egg white and garlic to bowl. Mix until chicken is very well coated.
3. Carrot: Heat wok until very hot. Add cooking oil. Add garlic, ginger and carrot. Stir-fry for 1 minute.
4. Peppers: Add next 4 ingredients. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes until peppers are tender-crisp. Transfer to medium bowl.
5. Cooking Chicken: Add second amount of sesame oil to hot wok. Add chicken mixture. Stir immediately to break up chicken pieces. Stir-fry on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes until chicken is no longer pink. Stir sauce. Stir into chicken mixture until boiling and thickened. Add pepper mixture. Heat and stir until peppers are coated and mixture is heated through.
6. Serve with either vermicelli or rice.