Recipe: General Tso's Chicken (Zuo Zong Tangji, Changsha Version)

GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN (ZUO ZONG TANGJI)
(Changsha Version)

"This version of General Tso's chicken is one I learned in the kitchens of the Yuloudong restaurant in the Hunanese capital, Changsha. It is not on the menu of the restaurant, but one of the chefs there had learned the recipe from someone connected indirectly with Peng Chang-kuei, and he very kindly showed me how to make it. Its sweetness makes it closer to the Americanized version of the dish than the previous Taiwan recipe".

The dish is usually made with boned chicken leg meat, although you can use breast if you prefer. I've suggested using boned thighs, which are widely available."

4 boned chicken thighs with skin (about 12 oz. total)
6 to 10 small dried red chiles
1 (3/4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp. double-concentrate tomato paste mixed with 1 tbsp. water
3 scallions, green parts only, sliced
1 tsp. sesame oil
Peanut oil for cooking

FOR THE MARINADE:
2 tsp. light soy sauce
4 tsp. dark soy sauce
1 egg yolk
4 tbsp. potato flour

FOR THE SAUCE:
1/2 tsp. potato flour
2 tsp. white sugar
2 tsp. chinkiang vinegar
1/4 tsp. dark soy sauce
2 tsp. light soy sauce
3 tbsp. Everyday Stock (recipe follows) or water

Unfold the chicken thighs and lay them, skin side down, on a chopping board. (If some parts are very thick, lay your knife flat and slice them in half, parallel to the board.) Use a sharp knife to make a few shallow crisscross cuts into the meat - this will help the flavors to penetrate. Then cut each thigh into bite-size slices, an uneven 1/4-inch or so in thickness. Place the chicken slices in a bowl.

To make the marinade, add the soy sauces and egg yolk to the chicken and mix well, then stir in the potato flour and lastly the oil; set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.

To make the sauce, combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

Use a pair of scissors to snip the dried chiles into 3/4-inch pieces, discarding the seeds as far as possible; set aside.

Heat enough oil for deep-frying to 350-400 degrees F. Add the chicken and deep-fry until it is crisp and golden. (If you are deep-frying in a wok with a relatively small volume of oil, fry the chicken in batches.) Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour the oil into a heatproof container, and clean the wok if necessary.

Return the wok to a high flame with 2-3 tablespoons of the oil. Add the dried chiles and stir-fry briefly until they are fragrant and just changing color (do not burn them). Toss in the ginger and stir-fry for a few seconds more, then add the tomato paste and stir-fry until the oil is stained a deep orange.

Add the mixed ingredients for the sauce, stirring as it thickens.

Tip in the chicken and stir vigorously to coat it in sauce. Add the scallions and stir a few times, then, off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and serve.

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EVERYDAY STOCK (XIAN TANG)

"This kind of stock is the base of most everyday soups and is also added to sauces for a richer flavor. The most common is simply pork-bone stock (gu tau tang), which is widely used in peasant cookery, although some recipes require chicken stock (ji tang). I tend to make a big potful of stock with either chicken carcasses and wings, or a mixture of chicken and pork bones, from time to time, depending on what my butcher has available, and freeze it in useful quantities. The basic method is as follows."

Any or all of the following: chicken carcasses, chicken wings, chicken bones, pork ribs, pork bones
Cold water
Fresh ginger, unpeeled
Scallions

Cover the chicken and/or pork bones generously with cold water and bring to a boil, skimming the surface as necessary.

Crush a piece of ginger and a couple of scallions with the wide blade of your cleaver or a heavy object.

When the foam stops rising from the bones, add the ginger and scallions. Partially cover the pan and simmer over a gentle heat for 2-3 hours.

Strain before using or storing (store in the refrigerator or freeze).

Source: Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook by Fuchsia Dunlop