Well, I'm back in lovely San Francisco after our whirlwind trip to New York City, and even though I have a serious case of jetlag, I wanted to post this highly simplified and quite Americanized version of Kung Pao chicken. Of course, I only mention the jetlag to explain any increase in the frequency of typos (I know you'll have my back as usual).
If I ranked my top email requests, "an easy chicken stir-fry" is certainly in the top five. Of course, as I mention in the video, I don't even own a wok, so this isn't technically a "stir-fry," but it's close enough for the internet, so save your cards and letters.
This fairly simple dish is loosely based on the spicy, Chinese take-out classic, Kung Pao chicken. The origins of the name, "Kung Pao" are difficult to trace, especially when you are too tired and lazy to do any research, but I assume the recipe's history is fascinating.
I've pretty much stripped this down to the bare essentials, and as I mention in the video, it's a recipe that you'll really want to play around with. All the ingredients you see listed below are literally, "to taste."
Speaking of ingredient amounts, the quantities below are what I think the average viewer would find most enjoyable, so don't be alarmed if what you actually see me tossing in is a little more or less. I don't generally measure when cooking something like this, and I think the more often you make it, you'll find yourself becoming just as carefree.
If you like your Kung Pao-esque chicken dishes to be extra saucy, thick, and sticky (more like the traditional Chinese-American take-out style), you can double the sauce ingredients, and almost triple the cornstarch/water mixture. It's really up to you – I just prefer a little lighter version. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 Servings Kung Wow (Kung Pao) Chicken 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts. cut into 1-inch cubes For the marinade: 1 tablespoon white wine 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon brown sugar white parts from 3-4 green onions, chopped For the sauce mixture: 1 tablespoon white vinegar 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons white wine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste 2 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon Asian chili paste (sambal), or more to taste 2 teaspoons ketchup 4 cloves minced garlic Other ingredients: 2 tablespoons peanut vegetable oil for frying 2 cups cubed zucchini 1 cup cubed red bell pepper 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoon water 1/4 cup green onion tops, chopped handful roasted, salted peanut halves 4 cups cooked white rice
Wow, what a short, but amazing trip this has been! We are packing for our trip back to San Francisco, and as I try to cram an unnatural amount of swag into my too-small suitcase, I can't even process all that's gone on the last few days. All I know, is I can't wait to back back to work.
Last night we attended the birthday party of a new friend of ours, Sarah Simmons, pictured here next to my old running buddy, Jennifer Heigl, from Daily Blender (right). I've been friends with Sarah on Twitter for a while now, and we finally got to meet. Say what you will about Twitter, and its possible responsibility for the downfall of our society, but anything that allows like-minded people to connect to one another can't be all bad. Sarah, who publishes the blog, sarahmcsimmons.com, is a formidable foodie, and you'll be reading more about her on this blog in the future. Thanks for your patience, and stay tuned for a brand new video recipe tomorrow!
Hello there! Just a very quick update from New York. Last night was the big Burger Bash, which was a lot of fun. We got to go because I received two tickets for winning the American Lamb Board's third annual “Get Your Grill On” video competition. Below I've posted the wining recipe in case you missed it. You can read the full, original post here.
Since this is our anniversary weekend, I've been trying to just enjoy myself without worrying about taking pictures of everything and blogging every detail. I think I needed a little break, and thanks to the American Lamb Board and Food Network, I'm certainly getting a great one! The Winning Lamb Burger Recipe!
It's too late to go into much detail, but my meeting with the Food Network executives went very well. While no job was offered, I got lots of great feedback, and was strongly encouraged to take their notes and film another reel to submit to the Next Food Network Star show.
I was interviewed by the show's main judges, Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson, both of whom could not have been nicer, or more supportive for what I'm doing. Not only wasn't I nervous, but for some strange reason it felt like I was talking to dear old friends. I was completely at ease, and enjoyed every moment of what many would describe as an unsuccessful meeting.
I passionately pitched the idea for a foodwishes-style show (where the food is the star, and the chef not so much), after which they thoughtfully articulated why such a show isn’t commercially viable. Deep down I knew that would be their reaction, but it was still fun hearing it from these two major star makers. I will think carefully about what they had to say, and maybe give getting on the show a real shot, or I'll simply go back to being one of the most watched and influential (not to mention happiest) chefs on YouTube.
After the meeting I was gifted a sweet swag bag, and given a tour of the operation. I had decided not to show up with a camera hanging from my neck, so I just snapped a few quick pictures with the iPhone, which you can see here (including a shot of Kitchen Stadium below).
As I left the Chelsea Market, I felt strangely contented, like I had truly accomplished something. I saw in their eyes, and heard in their voices, that they understood just how much I love food, and teaching people to cook.
So, thank you Food Network. Thank you for the opportunity, for the trip to New York, and for reminding me that while there are a million ways to make it, you only need to choose one. You haven't seen, or rather heard, the last of me.
Well, I'm back in lovely San Francisco after our whirlwind trip to New York City, and even though I have a serious case of jetlag, I wanted to post this highly simplified and quite Americanized version of Kung Pao chicken. Of course, I only mention the jetlag to explain any increase in the frequency of typos (I know you'll have my back as usual).
Speaking of ingredient amounts, the quantities below are what I think the average viewer would find most enjoyable, so don't be alarmed if what you actually see me tossing in is a little more or less. I don't generally measure when cooking something like this, and I think the more often you make it, you'll find yourself becoming just as carefree.
