September 2020

Kung Pao chicken now globally popular originated in the Sichuan province of China during the Qing dynasty. For more on the history of this spicy chicken dish visit my Instagram profile @deshpandetara

Traditionally this dish is made with chicken and peanuts but you can also use tofu and cashews.

Soaking the chicken in egg white is a technique known as velveting and helps to tenderise the chicken.

Ingredients serves 4

Ingredients for Kung Pao chicken

For marinade

800 grams skinless boneless thigh meat sliced into strips and soaked in half a cup of milk and one egg white for 3-4 hours.
1/4 cup regular soy sauce or low sodium
1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoon Chinese rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon white pepper

For the sauce

2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar or to taste
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp finely powdered Sichuan peppercorns
1/4 cup soy sauce or low sodium

Salt and more brown sugar if required

For stir fry

1/4 cup vegetable or peanut oil
1 teaspoon coarsely crushed Sichuan peppercorns
1/2 cup unroasted unsalted skinless peanuts
2 Thai red chillies
4-8 dried whole Sichuan red chillies or Mathania, Kashmiri or Arbol, stalks removed (add between 4-5 for your preferred spiciness)
6-7 scallions or green onions bulbs with an inch of the stalk, washed, trimmed and halved lengthwise
6 inches of celery stalk cut in 6 pieces
1.25 tablespoons of fresh garlic paste
1.25 tablespoons fresh ginger paste

METHOD

For chicken marinade

Rinse chicken under cold water and drain fully to remove egg white and milk. The milk helps deodorise the chicken and the egg white tenderises it. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade with the fully drained chicken, stir well and reserve.

Combine the brown sugar and soy sauce and stir to dissolve. Reserve for the sauce.

For the stirfry

Heat half the vegetable oil in heavy bottom non stick pan and saute the peanuts until golden on medium heat.

Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Add remaining vegetable or peanut oil to the pan and saute Sichuan pepper and Thai red chillies on low heat until fragrant about 1-2 minutes. This allows the oil to absorb the flavours of the peppercorns. Use a slotted spoon to remove the peppers and red chillies and discard them.

Add dried whole red chillies of your choice, 1/2 the scallions and 1/2 the celery and toss on high heat about 1 minute.

Add garlic ginger paste and half the sesame oil and keep stirring to prevent burning about 1 minute until the paste is fragrant.

Add all the chicken with its liquid and toss well. Then pat down and arrange in a single larger in the pan. Lower heat to medium and allow it to cook 2 minute until sauce begins to thicken.

Add all the remaining ingredients for the sauce- chinese vinegar, toasted sesame oil sugar and soy sauce and stir well. Add more water a little at a time only if required.

Add peanuts, remaining celery and green onions, toss and cook until chicken is tender.

Adjust for salt and sugar.

Serve hot with boiled white rice.

KALA KERALA STYLE VEGETABLE STEW PHOTO:NIKHIL

Kalan is always prepared for onam sadya but its a great dish for anyday.mine is adapted because i put in several veggies and legumes to to make it a dish that can be a complete meal. you can substitute some of these items. LEAVE OUT THE DRUMSTICKS if you prefer AND USE doodhi instead of ash gourd, red peas instead of black eyed peas.

For VegETABLES

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
200 grams raw banana peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
250 grams peeled and diced ash gourd in 1 inch pieces
10 2 inch long pieces of drumsticks, moringa or shevya che shenga
1 cup black eyed peas soaked in water overnight
½ to ¾ teaspoon crushed black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt or use low sodium salt
5 cups water and more if required
salt as required

For Coconut Paste

1/4 cup tightly packed fresh grated coconut
1 to 2 Indian green chilies stalks removed
½ teaspoon mustard or cumin seeds
¼ to ⅓ cup water – for grinding

Other Ingredients

1 cup sour curd
¼ cup water to be added later – add only if required and if the gravy is very thick

For Tempering Kalan

1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon mustard seeds or cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds lightly crushed
2 dried red chilies
10 to 12 fresh green curry leaves

Method

Put 5 cups of water in a pressure cooker and add the black eyed peas, drumsticks, turmeric, 1 tsp salt and black pepper. Cook on medium heat for 2 whistles. Add remaining veggies and more water if required and pressure cooker for another whistle.

While vegetables are cooking grind ingredients for coconut paste and whisk the yogurt to a smooth consistency

Put the coconut paste and yogurt in a skillet on medium heat. keep stirring or it will split. Cook until it comes to a rapid heat then pour over the veggies and stir. . Add more water if required and cook 5 minutes stirring from time to time. Add salt and jaggery if required to balance flavours.

Heat oil in a heatproof pan on high hear. Add all the spices and cook till they sizzle.

Pour over Kalan and mix well. Serve with boiled rice or chapatis.