Homemade chile paste in kung pao chicken for the win

More piquant than spicy, this version of kung pao chicken starts with a chile paste fragrant with garlic and ginger. Combined with a sauce that’s sweet with sugar, sour with vinegar and savory from rice wine and soy sauce, the result is a chicken stir-fry with an even balance of flavors. This preparation is unique to Guizhou, where it’s made with ciba chiles.

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Guizhou-Style Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Ji 宫保鸡

25 minutes. Serves 4.

Ingredients
Chile Paste

• 20 dried small mild red chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• ½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

Marinated Chicken

• 10 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1½ tablespoons potato starch
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Sauce

• 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1½ tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• ¾ teaspoon potato starch
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce

Stir-Fry

• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 3 scallions, cut into 1½-inch pieces, whites and greens separated
• 2 teaspoons sweet flour sauce (tianmianjiang)

Instructions

1. For the chile paste: Place the chiles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Place a little dish on the chiles to keep them immersed, and leave until softened, at least 5 minutes. Drain the chiles. Place them in a mortar with the garlic and ginger and pound to a coarse paste, or pulse to a paste in a small food processor or with an immersion blender.
2. For the chicken: Place the chicken, starch, salt and 2 tablespoons cold water in a medium bowl. Mix until evenly coated.
3. For the sauce: Combine the sugar, vinegar, wine, starch and both soy sauces in a small bowl and mix until the sugar dissolves.
4. To stir-fry: Heat a well-seasoned wok, large cast-iron skillet or other large skillet over very high heat. Add 3 tablespoons oil, carefully swirl to coat the bottom and sides, and immediately add the marinated chicken. Stir-fry to separate the pieces. When the chicken pieces have gone pale but are not fully cooked, about 3 minutes, transfer to a plate.
5. Set the wok over medium heat. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and when the oil shimmers but before it smokes, add the chile paste and stir-fry until sizzling, 1 to 2 minutes. Take care not to burn the chiles. Add the ginger, scallion whites and sweet flour sauce, turn the heat up to high and stir-fry until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the wok and mix well.
6. Pour the sauce into the center of the wok, then stir as it thickens and cloaks the chicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Finally, stir in the scallion greens and serve immediately.

Adapted from “The Food of Sichuan” by Fuchsia Dunlop.