Kung pou chicken

Chinese food is one of those things that can either be done really well, and you keep coming back for more, or it can be done terribly, where you end up spending the rest of the night drinking your weight in water to offset the amount of salt or MSG the restaurant has used in the dish.  I've had my share of bad experiences (cockroach scurrying across the entrance as you're walking through the door anyone?) where it gets to the point that I am resigned to just doing it at home.  At least I know for sure the ingredients and the amount of seasoning that goes into it (and hopefully no 'extra' additions that make it into the dish!).

This winning combination of spicy and sour, Kung Pou chicken is one of those typically popular dishes that you can find in most Chinese restaurants. What most people don't realise is how easy it is to whip up, requiring very little preparation beforehand.

Ingredients :

4 chicken thighs, cut into bite size cubes

1 inch of ginger, sliced

1/2 an onion, cut into bite sized cubes

4 dried chillies (you can add more depending on your tolerance)

5 good size fresh button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1/2 tablespoon of black vinegar

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons of oil

Steps :

Combine oyster sauce, black vinegar, dark soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl and put aside.

In a pan heat the oil and add in ginger. Saute till golden and fragrant. Add in the onions and dried chillies. Fry till the onions are soft. Then add in sliced mushrooms. When the mushrooms are half cooked, add in the chicken pieces. Stir well for 5mins, until the chicken is cooked through.

Add in the sauce, taste and adjust seasoning if required. Stir until well coated. 

Dish up the chicken and serve with hot steamed rice.

Such an easy dish to put together when you're lazy, or for those midweek meals where the last thing you want to do is slave away over a hot stove!