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By Root 125 0

out of politeness, all remarked on how delicious it was. In Mandarin, kung pao means “court official,” so the dish came to be known as kung pao chicken. If anyone at your table is allergic to peanuts, eliminate them.

Makes 4 servings

Kung Pao Chicken

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ¾-inch cubes

1 large egg white, beaten until foamy

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt

Sauce

¼ cup rice wine or dry sherry

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Vegetable oil, for passing through, plus 2 tablespoons

6 scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch pieces (1 cup)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick 10 small dried hot red chilies

1 ½ teaspoons hot bean sauce

½ cup salted roasted peanuts

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1. Mix the chicken, egg white, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. To begin the sauce, mix the rice wine, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl, and set it aside. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water in another small bowl, and set it aside.

3. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough vegetable oil to come about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 325°F. Add the chicken pieces, one at a time so the pieces don’t splash or stick to each other, and stir gently, keeping the pieces of chicken separate and cooking until they turn white, about 45 seconds. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the chicken to a colander to drain. Discard the oil from the wok. Wipe out the wok with paper towels.

4. Place the wok over medium-high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and heat until it is shimmering. Add the scallions, garlic, chilies, and hot bean sauce, and stir-fry until the scallions wilt, about 30 seconds. Return the chicken to the wok, add the rice wine mixture, and stir-fry until the chicken is heated through, about 30 seconds. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir until the sauce thickens, a few seconds more. Add the peanuts and sesame oil, and mix well. Serve immediately.

THE ORIGINAL LEMON CHICKEN, developed by Cantonese chefs, was pan-fried chicken in a tangy-sweet lemon sauce. Sometime in the ‘50s, the chicken started being deep-fried and promptly became an American sensation, and even a dinner party favorite. At its best, when made with fresh lemons and water chestnut flour (readily available in Asian markets), the batter ensures an especially crisp crust. This is fried chicken with a difference. Whenever I try to remove Lemon Chicken from the menu, people beg me to reinstate it.

You can substitute regular all-purpose flour for the water chestnut flour, but the crust will not be as thoroughly crisp. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Lemon Chicken

Sauce

2 lemons

Two ½-inch-thick slices peeled fresh ginger, smashed under a cleaver

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Three 5- to 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each cut horizontally to make thin cutlets

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 large egg

1 teaspoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

¾ cup water chestnut flour

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

1. To make the sauce, remove the yellow zest from the lemons in long strips, using a vegetable peeler. Cut the strips into very thin shreds and set them aside for the garnish. Cut off the white pith from the lemons, and cut each lemon crosswise into 8 rounds.

2. Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the lemon slices and ginger, and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Discard the ginger, and strain the liquid into a bowl, pressing down on the lemon slices to extract the juice. Pour the strained lemon liquid back into the pan and stir in the sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl, and stir into the sauce. Remove from the heat and partially cover to