Grant Burge Summers Chardonnay won a Silver Medal at the Hong Kong International Wine Challenge 2011 for ‘Best Wine Paired with Kung Pao Chicken’. I was inspired to create a version of this classic dish for the home cook to enjoy.
Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients:
For the marinade:
3 boneless chicken breasts cut into small cubes
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 tbsp cornstarch
For the sauce:
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup water
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
2 tsp cornstarch
For the stir fry:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
6 green onion, cut into ½ inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, cut into thin matchsticks
2 tbsp ginger, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks
¼ tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/3 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, rice wine and cornstarch. Mix well. Add the chicken. Marinate 30 minutes.
In a second medium bowl combine the sugar, Chinese black vinegar, sesame oil, water, soy sauce, rice wine and cornstarch. Whisk until combined.
In a wok or large frying pan heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over moderately high heat. Add the green onion, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook stirring for 30 seconds. Add the chicken with its marinade and cook, stirring until almost done about 2 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and cook until the chicken is just done, about 1 minute more. Add the peanuts.
Serve over steamed white rice or noodles. Sprinkle with sliced green onion.
You can also watch a video chat with Grant Burge here.
Recipe created by Christie Pollard for the Trialto Wine Group
