Gong Bao Chicken

Filled my lunch box with this morning: made it last night and then tucked it away in the fridge. Served with a side of dry-fried eggplant and yellow peppers.

Gong Bao Chicken
Adapted from Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking by Fuchsia Dunlop

Serves one with a veggie side dish and white rice.

150g boneless chicken breast
1 big clove of garlic, minced or crushed (about 1-1/2 tsp)
1-1/2 tsp of minced fresh ginger
2 green onions, white part only chopped into small pieces
1 tbsp vegetable oil
a big handful of dried red chiles
1/2 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns
1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

MARINADE
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sake or rice wine
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tbsp water

SAUCE
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp Chinkiang or black Chinese vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp water or chicken stock

1. Cut the chicken into small cubes, about 1cm on each side. Place in a small bowl and add the marinade, mixing thoroughly. Set aside as you prepare the other ingredients.

2. If you like, remove the seeds from the dried chiles by snipping off the stem end and carefully pouring out the seeds. This may only be necessary if you're planning on eating the chiles in the final dish--I don't eat them, so I leave the chiles whole.

3. Stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

4. Heat the oil in wok or frying pan over high heat. When the oil is hot, toss in the chiles and the Sichuan peppercorns. Make sure the fan above your cooker is on, as the chiles can smoke a bit. Stir-fry just long enough for the chiles to crisp a bit. Don't let them get too dark.

5. Add the chicken cubes and toss quickly. Once the chicken has lost its pink color, add the minced garlic, ginger, and green onions. Continue to cook for a few minutes; make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through by cutting through one of the larger pieces.

6. Stir the sauce in the small bowl and quickly add to the chicken in the pan. Stir to coat the chicken pieces thoroughly. Once the sauce is thick and shiny, add the peanuts, stir quickly to coat, and then serve.