General Tso's Chicken

Why would a blog dedicated to "Traditional Chinese Recipes" feature General Tao's Chicken, a dish virtually unknown in China?   For one thing, one of the minimal definitions of tradition is "an artistic or literary method or style established by an artist, writer, or movement, and subsequently followed by others." General Tso's certainly qualifies on that basis, since this dish is served everywhere in the world by Chinese chefs in Chinese restaurants--everywhere, in fact, except China, and with some surprising degree of consistency.  Further, if we think of the mainland as the "go to" authority, consider that General Tso's Chicken was invented in China, by a Chinese chef, and while it faded from view in Mainland China, it made its way from there to Taipei, to the United States, and evolved, as most traditions do, to become the famous dish we know today.   (I'd venture to say this may all be a moot point anyway, since the ever-wealthier China absorbs so many cultural trends of the West, so the worldwide popularity of General Tso's Chicken will someday make it as much a traditional dish in China as it is here.) 

The history of this dish has been thoroughly described by at least two authors.  Fuchsia Dunlop gives an excellent account, and a recipe for the unsweetened Hunanese version, originated by chef Peng Chang-kuei, in her excellent book, Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook.  Similarly, Jennifer 8. Lee describes with delicious humor her search for the original General Tso's Chicken in The Fortune Cookie Chronicles.

The attraction of this dish is doubtless in its simplicity of flavor and texture-- the chicken is chewy/crisp on the outside, moist on the inside, all drenched in a dark, spicy, sweet and tangy sauce.  The secret to a chewy/crisp exterior is double frying, utilized by Chinese chefs in a number of dishes where crispness of an otherwise moist item is desired.

1 1/4 lb boneless chicken thigh

1 heap Tablespoon minced garlic 

1 Tablespoon minced ginger

2 Green onions

4 - 6 chilis, cut into 3/4" lengths (Optional)

Chicken Marinade:

1 tsp dark soy

1 Tab light soy

1 Tab Shao Xing wine or dry sherry

1 Tab cornstarch

 1 egg white

Batter: 

In a bowl, appx 2/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp baking soda. (The baking soda assists with the Maillard browning reaction which cornstarch is otherwise resistant to)

Sauce:

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 Tab sugar

1 heap tsp brown sugar

1 TAB rice vinegar

2 TAB light soy

1 tsp dark soy

1 Tab rice wine

Cornstarch slurry (see thickening sauces in Technique)

Sesame oil, slivered red pepper or carrot for garnish

The following can be done ahead of time: wash and trim out tendon and large fat deposits from chicken thigh pieces and cut into chunks approximately 2" square or so.   Dry the cut meat;  in a bowl, mix very thoroughly with the marinade to evenly coat. In another med large bowl, combine cornstarch and soda and set aside.

Preheat deep fryer to 375º to prepare for the first frying.

Dredge marinated chicken pieces in the cornstarch/soda mixture and shake off extra coating, setting aside these aside until all the chicken is battered.  Lower pieces carefully into the 375º oil.  Fry approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove to a platter with paper towels or drain rack, separate, and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, mince garlic and ginger.  Mince the white portion of the green onion, and chop the green portion separately into 1/8" rings.   Prepare the sauce, set aside in a bowl, and prepare cornstarch slurry.  

When the fried chicken pieces are completely cool to the touch, you are ready for the 2nd frying, but first you'll make the sauce. As the deep fry oil heats to 375º,  heat a wok on med/high, swirl in 2 Tab of peanut oil, and when the oil is hot, add the minced ginger, garlic and onion and stir fry a few seconds.  Add the chilies, if using, and then splash in the tablespoon of wine.  Add the sauce mixture, and as soon as it begins to boil, slowly add cornstarch slurry while stirring ingredients until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency.  If using an electric stove, take the wok off the heat until the burner cools to low before returning; the sauce should remain in the wok on a very low heat while the chicken is fried a second time.

With the deep fry oil at 375º carefully lower the chicken into the oil and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.  Remove with skimmer or bamboo strainer, gently shake off excess oil, and place directly into sauce.  This may require two or three dips into the oil.  Now toss the chicken in the hot sauce, remove to a serving platter and garnish with sesame oil, green onion shreds, or other garnish.

Bang Bang Ji Si (Bang Bang Chicken)

Bang Bang Chicken (Bang Bang Ji Si)

Here’s a classic Sichuan dish that you'll find in many stateside Chinese restaurants, sometimes called “Bon Bon Chicken," but this recipe strives to follow the traditional method based on our experience of it Chengdu, Sichuan.   

It is widely understood that the name of the snack comes from the Mandarin word for stick or club, in addition to the onomatopoeia of bang, which refers the noise the stick makes as the cook loosens the breast meat fibers before shredding.  Today’s chefs will find this dramatic step helpful but unnecessary, however, as most poultry is tender enough to begin with. This shredded, cold dish is considered an appetizer, and often goes by the name "Strange Flavor Chicken"(Gwei wei ji si).

Many recipes for this dish call for poached chicken: I prefer to steam breast meat, considering it to produce a more tender result.  Also, various arrangements and garnishes are employed with bang bang ji; I usually use the bed of fen si, (bean thread noodles). 

1 full chicken breast, bone in, skin on, split through breast bone

sesame oil for marinade

10 – 11 oz pickling cucumber

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chili paste

1 TAB sugar

1-1/2 Tab sesame oil

1-1/2 Tab sesame paste (editor: you can sub natural peanut butter)1 TAB soy sauce

1 TAB rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn,  lightly toasted and ground

1 – 2 dried chilis, chopped

1 TAB ginger, finely minced

1 or 2 med cloves garlic, finely minced

2 green onions—white portion minced, green finely shreds for garnish

2 oz bean thread noodles (fen si)

Sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Wash and dry split breast  and rub well with sesame oil. Steam 12 minutes with towels covering steamer trays and lid.  After the 12 minutes, remove towels, and turn off heat.  After 2 minutes remove from steamer completely and set aside to cool.  When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and slice into 1/2 “ pieces if you wish to include it.  Tear chicken breast flesh with the grain to produce 3/8 “ by 2 or 3” shreds and set aside in the refrigerator.

Wash cucumbers; leaving skin on, split cucumbers lengthwise and scoop out seeds and pulp.  Continue slicing cucumbers lengthwise into wedges splitting each wedge until it is approximately an eighth inch thick.  Cut these wedges in half, so they are 1-1/2 inch or so long.  In a bowl, toss with 1/2 tsp of salt and marinate two hours or so until water puddles in the bottom of the bowl.  Drain cucumbers, rinse to wash away excess salt and dry with towel.  Set aside.

In the meantime mix chili paste, sugar, sesame oil, sesame paste, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ground Sichuan peppercorn, dried chili, ginger, garlic and green onion.  Mix very thoroughly to break up sesame paste lumps.  Set aside.

 Soak the bean thread noodles in hot tap water for 20 minutes; cut to 3” length if desired, and put in boiling water for 1 – 2 minutes.  Remove, rinse with cold water and drain.

Create a bed of bean thread noodles on a serving plate.  Scatter cucumbers over the noodles, allowing the noodles to show all around the edge.  Heap the chicken shreds on top of the cucumbers and pour sauce in the middle of the mound, allowing some of the chicken to remain visible.  Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion shreds

Jiang Ji Si (Shredded Ginger Chicken)

Shredded Ginger Chicken (Jiang Ji Si)

As a cold appetizer, Jiang Ji Si is not, strictly speaking, a traditional dish; it does, however, utilize a well-known combination, a shredded ginger/salt/oil dipping sauce and steamed chicken, (Zheng Ji), two things traditionally served separately as a warm main course.  It is intensely flavored and ridiculously easy to make.

3 boned, skinned chicken breasts,  (appx. 1 lb)

1-2 Tab Sesame oil for marinade

Sauce:

1-1/2 Tab Sesame oil for sauce

1-1/2 Tab Peanut oil for sauce

1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt to taste.

1” x 1” pc of peeled fresh ginger

Garnish:

2 green onions, minced

After boning and skinning, wash and dry the chicken breast then rub well with sesame oil; place in an oiled steamer tray or one that is lined with parchment paper.  Make sure pieces are not touching.  Steam chicken about 8 minutes, or until the chicken meat is just firm to the touch (larger pieces will require more steaming, smaller ones, less).  Allow to cool, then refrigerate, loosely covered.

In the meantime, prepare the sauce:  Mince the ginger as finely as possible.  (This can be accomplished by finely mincing with a knife; shredding with grater using the smallest holes, or, combined with the oil, in a food processor—the important thing is to retain as much of the ginger juices as possible)  Mix the minced ginger and any juices with the oil and salt.  Be sure to taste the sauce as you are adding salt—it should be somewhat salty, since the sauce with be mixed with the chicken and lose some of it’s pungency.

When ready to assemble the dish, shred the chicken by pulling the meat apart with the grain—you are separating the muscle fibers, and it will tear in small elongated threads in this way.  Discard any cartilage or bone fragments.  Mound chicken shreds on a small platter, drizzle ginger/oil sauce over it, then garnish with minced green onion.  This can be prepared ahead of time, but add the sauce and garnish at the last moment.

Gan Shao Ji Chi (Braised Chicken Wings)

This is recipe is not a Chinese version of those famous fried wings originating in Buffalo, New York.  But like many cultural and scientific phenomena, the Chinese were way ahead of us.  They have been eating chickens for 32 centuries, and since it has never been the Chinese habit to waste anything, we can assume the wings were eaten for a similar number of years.  When it became a separate “delicacy” however, is not known.

Chicken wings are a beloved snack in most places in China.  And you will find braised wings, both sweet and spicy versions, sometimes on a skewer, sometimes awaiting a dip in the huo guo pot.  This recipe utilizes the gan shao or dry braised, cooking method, with soy and sugar, served as a snack or appetizer, and is relatively easy to make in a wok; I’ve moderated the sweetness with a bit of vinegar.  Bring plenty of napkins to the table!

24 sections of chicken wings (about 2  3/4 lbs.)
2 Tab rock sugar or brown sugar
1 Tab sweet soy
1 Tab light soy
1 Tab rice wine (or sherry)
1 Tab rice wine vinegar
1 round Tab finely minced ginger
1 green onion, finely minced
2 tsp ground bean sauce
1 Tab hoisin sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
Peanut oil for frying

Clean and dry the chicken wing sections.  You may include the wing tips if desired.  Marinate chicken in the sugar, sweet soy, soy sauce, rice wine and wine vinegar for at least an hour or overnight.
For convenience, combine the bean sauce and hoisin sauce in a small dish.  Mince green onion and ginger and set aside.
Drain the chicken thoroughly, reserving all the marinade,  then pat the chicken pieces dry with a towel or paper towel.   Heat a deep fryer or wok with 2 – 3 cups of oil to 325 degrees; carefully lower 6 or so chicken pieces into the oil and arrange the pieces evenly with a bamboo strainer.  As you turn and move the wings, keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn.  The sugars in the marinade will caramelize very quickly.  Fry wings briefly until the skin is a mahogany-brown color, then remove and set aside.  Repeat until all the chicken is browned.  Turn off heat and remove all the frying oil; if using a wok, rinse out when cool enough, and dry on med heat.  Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of peanut oil; when it just begins to smoke, toss in ginger and green onion and stir fry until it just begins to brown, then add bean sauce and hoisin.  Stir fry for a minute or so and add the reserved marinade and stock.  When the liquid boils, gently lower chicken pieces into the liquid and turn the heat to low so that the wings will simmer gently.  Cover and braise chicken pieces for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When the wings are cooked through, remove the lid and increase the heat.  Reduce the liquid until it coats the chicken and no longer puddles in the bottom of the pan.  Remove and arrange on a platter.
Men ji chi can be served hot or cold, but in either case be sure to provide lots of napkins!

Chi You Ji (Soy Sauce Chicken)

Soy Sauce Chicken  (mandarin: chi you ji  Cantonese: Si Yauh Gai)

There might be as many recipes for Soy Sauce Chicken as there are chickens; some cooks call for browning the bird, others do not.  Some would have you braise the poultry in soy sauce only; others add any number of spices, honey, maltose, pork and chicken stock, and so on.  Indeed, Chinese cuisine has a strong tradition of braising foods in stocks and sauces, especially soy sauce.  But since Chinese cuisine has a common method of soy braising called hong shao, (red cooked), which includes in the liquid dried orange peel, star anise, cinnamon,  and Sichuan peppercorns, among other things, I think the name Soy Sauce Chicken should be reserved for those soy braised dishes which are simpler in preparation, and “cleaner” in taste.


Professional chefs have countless tricks up their sleeves, and among the most necessary for this dish is carving cooked poultry for attractive presentation.   At the very least, chopping whole chickens and plating them in an appetizing way requires a sharp cleaver, a Gray’s Anatomy for birds, and a lot of cleanup.  One of my more clumsy jobs of carving is pictured above; but the chicken was far better than it looks.

3.5 lb whole fryer

2 tsp Sichuan Peppercorn, roasted and ground
1 Tab grated ginger

2 pods star anise
3-4  crushed garlic cloves

3 Tab rock sugar (note: sub cane sugar if necessary)

2 Tab sweet soy sauce
1 Tab sweet black vinegar
1 Cup light soy sauce
3 Tab rice wine

Wash the chicken and scrub the skin vigorously with salt to make the skin more receptive to the marinade.   Rub the mixture of grated ginger and peppercorn into the bird inside and out.  In a wok, stir fry the crushed garlic and anise until the garlic begins to brown, then add the sugar, soy sauces, vinegar and wine.  Bring to a boil, then allow to cool.  Place this marinade in a bowl, add the chicken, rolling the bird to coat with marinade.  Marinate for 6 hours or more, turning the chicken several times.

Drain the chicken well and reserve marinade; heat wok to med high with 2 –3 Tab of oil, then brown the bird on all sides.  Combine the chicken and marinade in a heavy pot or clay pot with lid, placing the bird breast side up.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer and cover for about 35 minutes.  Without uncovering the pot, turn off heat and allow to set for another 35 – 40 minutes.  Uncover, check the dark meat for doneness, and if the juices run clear, remove and allow to cool for 20 – 30 minutes.  With a sharp, heavy cleaver,  cut the bird in half lengthwise,  cut off wings, legs and thighs, then chop each breast and back sections into 3 pieces.  Arrange on a platter and garnish with sesame oil and cilantro.

Gong Pao Ji Ding (Kung Pao Chicken)

Gong Bao Ji Ding (Kung Pao Chicken)
With few exceptions, in American Chinese restaurants, Gong Bao Ji Ding is rife with ingredients not usually found in the mainland versions: water chestnuts, green peppers, broccoli, baby corn and a multitude of “fillers” which lower the restaurants’ food cost and dilute the traditional dish.  In Sichuan, the de-facto home of this dish, the presentation generally contains only chicken breast meat, peanuts, chilies, chili sauce and other seasonings.  As always, the name and origin of the dish is obscured by time and folklore.  Most commentators agree that it is named after a Qing dynasty Sichuan governor,  whose title was Gong Bao.  The Ji Ding translates as “chicken cut into small cubes.” Even with the changes it has gone through coming to the states, the popularity of Kung Pao Chicken is a testament to the simple genius of the dish.  Gong Bao Ji Ding is just as well known in China.  No Sichuan restaurant on the mainland would be complete without it.
You will find that in this version of Gong Bao Ji Ding the main flavoring ingredients are somewhat large, sliced pieces; this not only visually mimics the shape of the cubed chicken, but produces potent bursts of flavor which characterizes this fiery dish.

11-12 oz boned and skinned, cubed approx. 5/8”
4 – 8 dried chilis, cut into 1” sections
1” x 1” pc ginger, peeled and thinly sliced—cut slices in quarters
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
3 or 4 green onions, white portion cut into 1” lengths; garnish with greens
3 oz. Peanuts
1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn (Hua Jiao)

Sauce:

2 – 3 tsp red chili sauce
1 rounded TAB of sugar, palm sugar or honey
1 Tab soy
Tab Shao Xing or rice wine
1 – 2 tsp Chinkiang vinegar
1/4 cup stock
Cornstarch slurry
Sesame oil

Marinate the chicken cubes in wine, soy, sugar and cornstarch.  Section the chilis, retaining the seeds if you prefer the full effects of the spice.  Peel and slice the ginger and garlic; section the green onion and diagonally slice the greens to use as a garnish.
I prefer to wok roast raw peanuts, as they develop a more robust peanut flavor and crunchy texture.  To do this, put raw peanuts (with or without skins) into a medium hot wok and add a dash of peanut oil.  Toss the peanuts constantly as they will burn in only a few seconds if left unturned.  Increase the heat as needed to brown the nuts, but they must reach a sufficient internal temperature to drive out their moisture, so do not roast them too quickly.  It should take 15 or 20 minutes to do this.  Obviously, you can use pre-roasted peanuts and save the time.  In any case, be sure to add the peanuts to the dish at the last minute, to preserve their texture. Thehua jiao should be tossed for a minute in a med hot wok to refresh it; crush the peppercorns with the flat of the cleaver, and set aside for garnish.
Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.  Red chili sauce is available in a dizzying variety of forms and brands at Asian groceries; the popular Thai chili sauce, Sriracha, works well and is available even in standard grocery stores.  The amount can vary, according to your taste; however,  red chili sauce is usually acidic and should be balanced with at least equal parts sugar, making Gong Bao Ji Ding a traditionally sweet and sour dish.
On high heat, using 4 or 5 tablespoons of peanut oil, stir-fry the chicken cubes until they are browned and cooked through.  Remove with bamboo handled strainer or slotted spoon and set aside. Add more oil if necessary and stir-fry the chilies for a few seconds until they darken, then add ginger, garlic and onions.  When these have just begun to brown, stir sauce ingredients and add to the wok, then thicken with slurry as soon as it boils.  Add back the chicken; off the heat, quickly stir in the peanuts, plate the Gong Bao Ji Ding, garnish with a drizzle of sesame oil, green onion shreds and hua jiao.