I live with my older brother Daniel right now, and ever since I decided I liked cooking he has been asking for General Tso's Chicken. I have to admit I was a little hesitant to do it because I have never cooked anything like this but I decided to take it on for Sunday dinner. I do need to say I wouldn't have been able to do it with out my brothers help. He has many more years of experience in the cooking field and he is teaching me his ways as I venture into this new world. He did tell me that I am now eligible to get married because I can cook!
I forgot to take the final picture of it but you at least get to see what the chicken looks like. It is a fairly easy recipe, except that it calls for everything that you do not have, also it was the only recipe I found that did not call for wine. But anyways here is the recipe and towards the end I'll fill you in on how I would make it better!
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
6 dried red chilis
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
6 dried red chilis
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
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
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
1. Mix the ingredients for the marinade. Slice the chicken into 1-inch cubes and add it to the marinade mixture. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Mix the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
Drip the excess marinade off the chicken, and toss the cubes in the 2 cups cornstarch. Shake off the excess cornstarch before frying.
Add about 2 inches of peanut oil to your wok. Heat the wok until just smoking, then add the first batch of chicken cubes and deep-fry until cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the 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 the wok over medium-heat heat. Add the dried chilis, garlic, and ginger to the wok and stir-fry until chilis begin to blacken and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sauce mixture and stir until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Return the chicken to wok and stir well to coat with sauce. Transfer the chicken to serving dish. Garnish with white sesame and scallions. Serve with white rice and vegetables.
So we served it with rice and broccoli which was delicious of course but I feel like it would be great with Asian noodles as well. The changes to the recipe I would suggest are first off sesame oil is expensive and how often are you really going to use it so I made the marinade with olive oil. Next I doubled the marinade and it still barely covered the chicken so feel free to double or even triple that part of the recipe. And since the recipe is so simple it is not a big deal at all. But other then those little things it is a semi-easy recipe if your in the mood for trying something different. So enjoy!
looks delicious. so he's teaching you the ways of the force...
ReplyDeleteoh that looks good. I only have such a small kitchen to cook in but I might have to try this.
ReplyDeleteCome cook this for me...it is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteHi there- found you through the hop and am a new follower. This sounds so good- a little complicated for me, but potentially woeth it! I hope you have time to follow my life in South Africa by http://withoutcomplexities.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great week!