Real Deal Kung Pao Chicken
"About the author: After graduating from MIT, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt spent many years as a chef, recipe developer, writer, and editor in Boston. He now lives in New York with his wife. Got a suggestion for an upcoming topic? Email Kenji here, and he'll do his best to answer your queries in a future post. Become a fan of The Food Lab on Facebook for play-by-plays on future kitchen tests and recipe experiments..."
INGREDIENTS
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1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, and cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces
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2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
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2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, divided (or dry sherry, if unavailable)
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1 tablepoon cornstarch, divided
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1/3 cup peanut oil
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1 to 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns toasted in hot skillet for 30 seconds until fragrant, divided
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3 scallions, whites finely minced, and greens finely sliced, reserved separately
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1/2 cup fried fresh peanuts or roasted unsalted peanuts
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2 cloves minced garlic (about 4 teaspoons)
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1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
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1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar (or distilled white vinegar if unavailable)
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1 tablespoon Sichuan fermented chili-bean paste (or generic Asian chili-garlic sauce if unavailable)
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2 teaspoons sugar
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12 hot Chinese dry chili peppers, seeded
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2 small leeks, white and light green parts only, cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 1/2 cup total)
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