Hunan Kung Pao with Chicken - Earls Cookbook

INGREDIENTS

• 680g of fresh steamed chinese egg noodles
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 2 bird's-eye chilies (optional, or use more if desired)
• 8oz (225g) 1/2 inch diced chicken tenders or chicken breast
• 1/2 cup of 1 inch diced red onion
• 1/2 cup of 1/8 inch diagonally cut carrot
• 1/2 cup of 1/4 inch diagonally cut celery
• 2 cups of chopped yu choy
• Hunan sauce (1/2 cup of soy sauce, 1/2 cup of chicken stock, 2 tbsp of brown sugar, 2 tbsp of minced ginger, 2 tbsp of minced garlic, 2 tbsp of rice vinegar, 1 tbsp of sesame oil, 1 tbsp of cornstarch)
• 1/4 cup of roasted peanuts
• *Makes 4-6 servings*

DIRECTIONS

Bring a pot of salted water to a full boil. Blanch the noodles for 2 minutes, stirring well to loosen up the clumps of noodles.

Drain the noodles immediately and flush them with cold water to stop cooking. Allow to drain and completely. Coat lightly with 1 tbsp of vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

Heat the remaining tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok or nonstick skillet over high heat until it ripples.

Add the desired amount of chilies to the oil and cook until blistered. Toss in the chicken and allow to sear on one side, separating each piece to ensure that the chicken cooks evenly, approx 2 minutes. Flip each piece of chicken to sear the second side.

Add the onion, pepper, carrots and celery, cooking for 2 minutes until the vegetables are blistered and begin to soften.

Toss in the yu choy and continue cooking until it turns bright green from the heat, approx 1 minute. Add the hunan sauce and bring to a simmer.

Push the chicken and vegetables to one side of the pan. Add the noodles to the empty side. 

Toss very well to coat each ingredient with sauce. The sauce will thicken slightly as the chicken and vegetables cook thoroughly. Check to see if the largest piece of chicken is cooked. The vegetables should be tender but not limp.

Divide into bowls and garnish each bowl evenly with roasted peanuts.