General Tso's Chicken recipe?

[CharlieD]

Why do I bother ...

 

[CharlieD]

Just saw ths, had to really add it here:
The Conversation: The Fortune Cookie Isn't Chinese

 

[blissful]

Just saw ths, had to really add it here:
The Conversation: The Fortune Cookie Isn't Chinese

So the General Tso's family lives in a Hunan province, interesting. Also interesting was the japanese fortune cookies, soup in china, and lack of milk products in the chinese diet--cool video, thanks for sharing.

 

[CharlieD]

Milk is very europian thing all together, there are a lot of other places in the world where milk and milk products are not very common.

 

[Andy M.]

So the General Tso's family lives in a Hunan province, interesting. Also interesting was the japanese fortune cookies, soup in china, and lack of milk products in the chinese diet--cool video, thanks for sharing.

I believe many Asians are lactose intolerant to some degree.

 

[spork]

Some Asians don't get whole milk delivered to their doorstep each morning, they receive yogurt.

While I usually like General Tso's chicken, what I don't like about it is that any self-serving Chinese will ask, "what? who?" And it's the fast food equivalent of serving the same thing in a slightly different flavor. There are prosperous Chinese restaurants which have menus 15 pages long, but serve the same single dish to everyone, laughing all the way to the bank.

A good Chinese restaurant will grok your off-menu request.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I was 19 before I ever had mainstream American-Chinese Food and I had to go to Denver to get it. The Chinese restaurant, where I grew up, was wonderful...nothing too sweet, plenty of fresh veg, not just broccoli. They are closed now, all their kids have graduated college and they live simply. If you know them well, you can invite yourself for dinner

 

[Dumpandstir]

The Generals Chicken is one of my weaknesses also.

I have cooked it at home and made some great dinners. My family is so so on it so I don't make it much.

Double frying the chicken is the best way. It stays crispy in all that delicious sauce.

 

[MrsBlueEyzz]

General Tso's Chicken
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003



1 large egg white
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine, or dry sherry
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
Vegetable oil, for frying
12 dry red chile peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup roughly chopped lightly toasted cashews
Green onions, sliced on the bias, garnish
Hot steamed white rice, accompaniment
In a bowl, whisk together the egg white, 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, 2 tablespoons of the wine, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
To make the sauce, in another bowl, whisk remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of the chicken stock until smooth. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons chicken stock, 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the vinegar, and sugar and whisk to combine. Set aside until ready to finish the dish.
In a large wok or pot, heat enough oil to come 3 inches up the sides to 350 degrees F.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and carefully slide into the hot oil. Fry, turning, until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Discard all but about 1 tablespoon of the oil from the wok. (Alternatively, in a clean wok or saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat.) Add the chile peppers and stir-fry until nearly black. Add the garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and 1/2 cup green onions. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the chicken stock sauce, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
Arrange the chicken on a platter and pour the sauce over it. Garnish with the cashews and additional green onions. Serve with hot rice.
4 servings

Episode#: EM1G60

Have you tried this recipe? Does it come out as good as you get at the restaurant or is there anything you would change?

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

General Tso's Chicken
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

Be careful with this recipe. It's been my experience that Emeril LaGasbag's recipes generally make enough to feed General Tso's entire army!