Chinese Take-Out General Tso's Chicken
General Tso's Chicken is one of those Chinese dishes that would be hard to find in China. Seems that this dish of battered, deep-fried chicken pieces bathed in a sweet garlicky spicy sauce was born back in the seventies in a Chinese restaurant in New York. But even though it would be difficult to locate a recipe for it in a traditional Chinese cookbook, it stands as one of the most-ordered favorites on the Chinese-American menu. Just who is this General Tso guy? Turns out he was a successful Chinese statesman back in the mid-1800's. We're not sure why this dish was named after him, since we can be pretty sure he never tasted it. From the Take-Out Menu Cookbook.
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INGREDIENTS
Nutrition- 1
- 4tablespoons cornstarch
- 1tablespoon soy sauce
- 1⁄4cup soy sauce
- 3tablespoons mirin
- 1 1⁄2
- 1⁄4cup rice vinegar
- 1⁄4cup sugar
- 2tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1tablespoon chili paste with garlic
- 10
- 2teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 -3cups vegetable oil (for frying)
- 5
- 1
- 3
- 2cups broccoli florets
- 1
- 3
-
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DIRECTIONS
- In a medium bowl, combine the egg, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon mirin. Add the chicken and let it marinate at room temperature while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, combine the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch, the remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, the remaining 2 tablespoons mirin, and the rice vinegar, sugar, hoisin, chili paste, peppercorns, sesame oil, and 1/2 cup water. Set aside.
- In a heavy pot over medium heat, heat 3 inches of oil to 360ºF.
- Add about 10 pieces of chicken to the hot oil and fry until brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.
- Remove all but 3 tablespoons of oil from the pot and add the chilies, ginger, and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and bell pepper and stir-fry, tossing the vegetables for 2 minutes or until they are brightly colored and partially cooked.
- Add the cooked chicken to the pot along with the reserved sauce and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes.
- To serve, sprinkle green onions over the top and serve hot with rice.
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