Kung Pao Chicken with Pickled Salad

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns
• 4 tbsp Corn flour + 1 tbsp extra
• 8 skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm pieces
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4cms piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2-4 Red Chillis, thinly sliced
• 4 Spring Onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp soy sauce + 1/2 tbsp extra for salad dressing
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar + 1 tbsp extra for salad dressing
• 2 tbsp honey
• 100g unsalted Peanuts
• 1 Cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 Carrot, thinly sliced
• 1/2 bunch Coriander, leaves picked, stems removed
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

Method

1. In a small frypan, toast Szechuan Peppercorns over medium heat for 2mins. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and grind to a fine powder. In medium bowl, add 4 tbsp of corn flour to the peppercorn powder and combine.
2. Cut chicken thighs into 2cm size pieces then toss through the flour mixture ensuring chicken is fully coated.
3. In a large non-stick frypan, add 1/4 cup of vegetable oil and over high heat cook chicken in small batches for 5-6 minutes or until golden in colour and fully cooked. Drain cooked chicken on paper towel and set aside whilst cooking remaining batches.
4. Whilst chicken is cooking, peel garlic and ginger and finely slice. Finely slice red chillis and spring onions. Note: You can adjust chillis to your heat preference.
5. To prepare the salad, using a vegetable peeler, peel the cucumber and carrot into long slices. Pick coriander leaves and place into a bowl with 1/2 tbsp extra soy sauce, 1 tbsp extra rice wine vinegar, sweet chilli sauce and juice of 1/2 lime. Toss all ingredients together and set aside to pickle until ready to serve.
6. In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp extra corn flour with 4 tbsp water, mix well. Add 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 2 tbsp honey and mix well and set wet mixture aside.
7. Once all chicken is cooked, wipe out the frypan, add remaining 1/4 cup of vegetable oil with garlic, ginger, red chilli and spring onions and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add wet mixture to frypan and stir continuously until mixture slightly thickens. Add peanuts, cooked chicken and toss until well combined.
8. Serve Kung Pao Chicken on steamed rice and with Pickled Salad on the side.

Product used in recipe

• LEE KUM KEE - LKK GOLD LABEL SOY SAUCE 500ML
• OBENTO - OBENTO SAUCE - RICE WINE VINEGAR