Easy Authentic Kung Pao Chicken

Cut the chicken as evenly as possible into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a small bowl and mix in the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Shoaxing rice wine and cornstarch. Set aside.

Peel and thinly slice the garlic and ginger, and chop the scallions into 1/2 inch chunks. Cut the stems off of the chilies and squeeze to discard the seeds. Pick out the black seeds from the Sichuan peppercorns. Don’t forget to wash your hands after this!

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat a heavy frying pan or wok over high, then add the peanut oil. When the oil is hot, add the chilies and Sichuan peppercorns and cook until they are crisp and the oil is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and continue cooking over high heat, stirring constantly. As soon as the chicken cubes have turned opaque, add the ginger and garlic and continue to stir-fry for a few minutes until the meat is cooked through. Add the green onions and peanuts, and cook for 1-2 minutes more.

Give the sauce a stir and add it to the pan, continuing to stir and toss until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

Adapted from NPR.