General Tso's Chicken

Here is a recipe for General Tso's chicken that I discovered years ago. The funny thing is that this dish is not really Chinese food. It began as a Taiwanese dish in New York City to appeal to the American taste for fried chicken. This recipe calls for boneless thighs but you could substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The only difference is that your chicken won't be as moist or juicy.

General Tso's Chicken

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
6 dried red chilis (or red pepper flakes)
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
3 cups peanut oil for deep-frying
2 cups cornstarch
1 big pinch white sesame seeds, for garnish
Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Marinade:
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 egg yolk

Sauce:
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 teaspoons white sugar
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons chicken stock or water

Mix ingredients for marinade. Slice chicken into 1-inch cubes and add to marinade mixture. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Mix ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.

Place the cornstarch in a large Ziplok bag. Drip excess marinade off the chicken and toss cubes in the bag with the cornstarch. Shake to coat the chicken and then shake off excess cornstarch before frying.

Add about 2 inches of peanut oil to your wok. Heat wok until just smoking, then add the first batch of chicken cubes and deep-fry until cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil. (You can pour the oil into a heatproof container and save for later use.) Reheat wok over medium-heat heat. Add dried chilis, garlic, and ginger to wok and stir-fry until chilis begin to blacken and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sauce mixture and stir until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Return chicken to wok and stir well to coat with sauce. Transfer chicken to serving dish. Serve with white rice and vegetables.

This should serve 2 to 3 people as part of a meal.