Hot and Sour Chicken (Hunan)
net.cooks/Lynn Gold (1984)
From my mother's Chinese cooking teacher…

1 lb. chicken meat (cut into 1 x 1 1/2-inch)
Marinate 1/2 hour with:
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1 tbsp oil
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1 small fresh green pepper and 1 red pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1 chopped hot pepper
3/4 cup sliced bamboo shoots
25 clouds ears (soak in water until soft)
1/2 cup chicken stock or water or pork broth
2 tbsp. salted black beans
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1 tsp hot red pepper powder or 1 tsp chlli oil or both
2 chopped scallions
sesame oil (a dash)
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. cooking wine
2 1/2 tbsp. chinkiang vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup oil (for deep frying chicken)

Heat oil, deep fry chicken pieces for about 3 minutes or until they change color, remove and drain well from oil.

Remove oil except 1 1/2 tbsp., stir-fry hot and bell peppers, bamboo shoots, and clouds ears, add chicken stock. Cover until steam comes up, then remove to a dish.

Wash wok and heat 2 tbsp. oil, add garlic, ginger, black bean and stir-fry for 1/2 minute. Add chicken, pepper powder, sprinkle wine, soy sauce, and vinegar. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, then add the first mixture, cornstarch and sugar; cook until thickened.