Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 large whole boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• salt
• 1/4 cup black bean sauce
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons chili paste with garlic
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry or shao-hsing wine
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and flattened but not chopped
• 2 cups peanut oil or vegetable oil or corn oil
• 3/4 cup raw shelled and hulled fresh unsalted peanuts
• 16-21 dried hot red chili peppers, cut in half

Directions

1. 1

   Dice chicken into 3/4" cubes and combine with egg white, cornstarch and salt.

2. 2

   Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Combine next ingredients through garlic and set aside.

4. 4

   Heat oil in wok and when it is almost boiling hot but not smoking, turn heat off and add peanuts in a wire sieve so that it and the peanuts inside can be easily removed.

5. 5

   When peanuts turn golden remove from oil.

6. 6

   They will continue to cook from retained heat after being removed.

7. 7

   Don't burn them, they cook very quickly.

8. 8

   Turn heat back on and when oil is hot add chicken mixture.

9. 9

   Cook about 45 seconds until chicken is opaque but not browned.

10. 10

    Remove and drain the chicken on paper toweling.

11. 11

    Pour off all but 2 T of the oil from the wok.

12. 12

    Add peppers and cook about 15 seconds, they should be dark.

13. 13

    Add sauce and chicken and cook about 1 minute more.

14. 14

    Serve garnished with the peanuts.