Kung pao chicken, also known as Kung Pao Chicken, is a traditional dish in Sichuan cuisine, which is fried with diced chicken, dried peppers and peanuts. Because its entrance is fresh and spicy, the freshness of chicken and the crispness of peanuts are widely welcomed by the public. Especially in western countries such as Britain and the United States, kung pao chicken is "flooded", which is synonymous with Chinese food, and the situation is similar to spaghetti in Italian food.

The origin of kung pao chicken

About the origin of kung pao chicken, it is generally believed that it is related to Ding Baozhen. There are three kinds of legends:

One said: Ding Baozhen was originally from Guizhou, and was a scholar in Xianfeng period of Qing Dynasty. He was once the governor of Shandong and then the governor of Sichuan. He always likes to eat Chili, pork and chicken stir-fried dishes. It is said that when he was in Shandong, he ordered his chef to make "Fried Chicken with Sauce" and other dishes, which was very appetizing, but it was not famous at that time. After being transferred to the governor of Sichuan, he asked the chef to stir-fry diced chicken with peanuts, dried peppers and tender chicken every time he met a banquet guest. The meat was tender and delicious, and it was very popular with the guests. Later, he was named "Prince Shaobao" by the imperial court because of his meritorious service in guarding the border and defending the enemy, and was called "Ding Gongbao". The fried diced chicken cooked by his chef was also called "kung pao chicken".

Two said: Ding Baozhen came to Sichuan to build water conservancy projects, and the people felt their virtue, offering his favorite fried diced chicken, named "kung pao chicken".

When Ding Baozhen was in Sichuan, he often visited incognito. Once I ate in a small restaurant, I got chili pepper diced chicken fried with peanuts, which was called imitation by the chef, who named it "kung pao chicken".

In addition, it is also said that this dish originated from the famous figure Zuo Zongtang.

It is said that Zuo Zongtang likes to eat the chicken cooked for him by the chef, and the way to do it is to cut the chicken into cubes and fry it with peanuts, diced bamboo shoots, fungus and other ingredients. In Qing Dynasty, the governor had the titles of Gong Bao and Shao Bao, and because Zuo Zongtang was a former governor, he was called Zuo Gong Bao, so people called this dish kung pao chicken.

Kung Pao Chicken and kung pao chicken

Kung Pao Chicken is not called Kung Pao Chicken, but it should be from kung pao chicken. Nowadays, "kung pao chicken" is a common dish in Chinese restaurants of all sizes. As for some menus that say "Kung Pao Chicken", some people think that the cooking method is "stir-fried", but this is actually a misunderstanding, and the origin of "kung pao chicken" is not clear.

Speaking of "kung pao chicken", of course, we can't help but mention its inventor-Ding Baozhen. According to the Draft of Qing History, Ding Baozhen, born in Pingyuan, Guizhou Province, was a scholar in Xianfeng for three years, and served as the governor of Sichuan in Guangxu for two years. It is said that Ding Baozhen has a good knowledge of cooking, and likes to eat chicken and peanuts, especially spicy food. When he was governor of Sichuan, he created a delicious dish which was made of diced chicken, red pepper and peanuts. This delicious dish was originally just Ding Jia's "private kitchen", but later it spread more and more widely and was well known. But not many people know why it was named "Gong Bao".

The so-called "Gong Bao" is actually the honorary title of Ding Baozhen. According to the explanation in China Dictionary of Official in Past Dynasties, officials at all levels in Ming and Qing Dynasties had "virtual titles". The highest virtual titles are "Tai Fu, Shao Shi, Tai Fu, Shao Fu, Taibao, Shao Bao, Prince Tai Fu, Prince Shao Shi, Prince Tai Fu, Prince Shao Fu, Prince Tai Bao and Prince Shao Bao". The above titles are all empty titles addressed to important officials in the DPRK, and they have no actual power. Some of them are posthumously presented, and they are generally called "palace titles". After Xianfeng, these virtual titles no longer used "so-and-so teacher" but "so-and-so guarantee", so these top virtual titles have another nickname-"Gong Bao". Ding Baozhen ruled Shu for ten years, and made many achievements as an official. He died in the 11th year of Guangxu. In recognition of his achievements, the Qing court posthumously presented the "Prince Taibao". As mentioned above, "Tai Zi Tai Bao" is one of the "Gong Bao", so the dish he invented was named "kung pao chicken", which is also a commemoration of this Ding adult.

Times have changed. Many people don't know what "Gong Bao" is, so they take it for granted that "kung pao chicken" is written as "Kung Pao Chicken". Although it is a word difference, it has changed the original intention of commemorating Ding Baozhen.

Kung pao chicken practice

Because of its wide spread, kung pao chicken has done a lot in various places.

Practice 1

Materials:

900 grams of boneless chicken breast (it is said that chicken leg meat was commonly used before, because chicken leg meat is more tender than chicken breast), 40 grams of dried red pepper and 75 grams of fried peanuts.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons pepper, 2 shallots (cut into pieces), 2 tablespoons protein 1 piece, 2 tablespoons white powder, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice wine 1 teaspoon, minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon, sesame oil 1 teaspoon, half a teaspoon of sugar and white vinegar/kloc-0.

Production process:

1. Stir well with 1 egg white, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of white powder, and prepare into "marinade" for use. Then, 1 tsp of soy sauce, 1 tsp of rice wine, 1 tsp of powdered water, 2 tsps of sugar1/,4 tsp of salt1/,1 tsp of sauce color and white vinegar, 2 tsps of sesame oil and 2 tsps of minced garlic1/to make a "comprehensive seasoning".

2. Cut the chicken breast into cubes about 1 cm. Stir the diced chicken with "marinade" and marinate for half an hour. After the diced chicken is marinated, heat 5 cups of salad oil, first pour the diced chicken into the pot and fry it for half a minute with high fire.

Be careful not to fry the diced chicken for too long, so as not to fry the chicken too old. After the chicken is fried until it changes color, take it out and drain the oil for later use. Leave about 2 tablespoons of oil in the pot. After heating, put the cut dried peppers into the pot, stir-fry them with low fire, and then add the pepper particles and onion segments to saute them. After sauté ing, put the diced chicken in the pot again, stir-fry it for a while with high fire, then pour in the "comprehensive seasoning" and continue to stir-fry.

4. Finally, add peanuts, stir-fry for a few times, and you can start the pot.

Features:

A famous dish in Chengdu, Sichuan, with golden color, tender chicken, crispy peanuts, salty, spicy and slightly sweet and sour. This dish was created in Qing Dynasty.

Practice 2

Materials:

300 grams of chicken breast, 50 grams of peanuts, 20 grams of dried red pepper, 25 grams of water starch, 20 grams of clear soup and 80 grams of peanut oil.

Cooking method:

Dice chicken breast, add soy sauce, refined salt and cooking wine, and mix well with water and soybean powder. Mix soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, monosodium glutamate, clear soup and water bean powder into a sauce. Cut the dried red pepper into 2 cm long sections. Deep-fry peanuts until they are brown-red. Stir-fry diced chicken, add ginger, onion and garlic, stir well, cook in sauce, add peanuts, turn them over twice and serve.

Production process:

1. Buy chicken legs and cut the meat into dices.

2. Wash the meat after cutting, add a little salt, pepper and yellow wine, and grab it evenly by hand.

3. put a little starch and grab it evenly with your hands.

4. Leave it for a while (this method is called pickling or sizing, which can deodorize and taste the meat, and is suitable for all kinds of meat).

5. Pour the oil into the pot.

6. Put the diced chicken into the pot, fry for a while and take it out.

7. Pour Chili oil (or salad oil) into the pot.

8. Add pepper and pepper (low heat).

9. Add onions, ginger slices and garlic slices and stir-fry for a while.

10. Add the diced chicken.

1 1. Add wine and soy sauce (color).

12. Add a little chicken soup.

13. Add a little salt, chicken essence, more sugar, and a little vinegar (this dish tastes slightly sour and sweet).

14. Add a little starch and add fried peanuts.

15. Add pepper and sesame oil and take out the pot.

nutritive value

Chicken: Chicken has the functions of warming the middle warmer, benefiting qi, replenishing essence and marrow, and tonifying deficiency and improving intelligence. "Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing" says that eating chicken often can lead to mental health; Most doctors in later generations think that eating is intelligent. "