Kung Pao Chicken

With shut downs, a fear of gathering in public, a population that is staying home; it is questionable how many restaurants will survive the pandemic. In September, a National Restaurant Association survey in America revealed that at least 100,000 restaurants have closed permanently or for the long term. That number was estimated to be closer to 110,000 by the end of 2020. According to data from Restaurants Canada, more than 10,000 restaurants have permanently closed. And the numbers keep rising.

And Chinese Restaurants have been disproportionately impacted. By March 2020, at the very beginning of the pandemic in North America, foot traffic in historic New York and San Francisco Chinatowns was reduced by 80%. As early as February 2020, when there were no cases reported in Canada, Toronto’s Chinatown business dropped as much as 30%. Chinese Restaurant have faced racism, misinformation and a ‘mom and pop’, cash-only structure that is difficult to adapt to our take-out only, electronic, COVID world. In Windsor, the Mandarin House closed after 30 years and so ended my favourite lunch of General Tso’s chicken. Fong’s Villa, a Tecumseh institution has closed its doors, hopefully only temporarily. The list goes on. With these closures we lose institutions in our communities, a way of immigrant cooking that cannot be replicated by large chains, not to mention the personal hardship on the families those restaurants support. Endless victims of this pandemic.

What can we do? Cookbook author Grace Young has begun a campaign #SaveChineseRestaurants. Order Chinese Food. Support your local businesses. Post a photo on Instagram. Continue to support Chinese American/Canadian cooking and recipes. Do what we can by eating, one egg roll at a time.

Some recipe notes. Shaoxing wine is available at specialty Asian grocery stores. It really adds that restaurant quality taste to the dish. If you do not have Shaoxing wine you can substitute cooking sherry. You can also substitute chicken breasts for thighs, but be careful not to overcook, as the breasts can get dry easily. You can also substitute 1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes for the whole peppers.

Kung Pao Chicken

From J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, Serious Eats

Serves 4

For the Chicken:
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4- inch chunks (see note)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp Shaoxing wine (see note)
1/2 tsp roasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp cornstarch

For the Stir-Fry:
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp chicken sauce (or water)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp roasted sesame oil
2 tsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp vegetable, peanut or canola oil, divided
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch dice
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch dice
2 celery stalks, cut into 3/4 inch dice
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
2 tsp minced fresh garlic (about 2 medium cloves)
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 scallion, white and light green parts only, finely minced
8 small dried red Chinese or Arbol chilies (see note)

Combine chicken, salt, pepper, soy sauce, wine, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Combine soy sauce, wine, vinegar, chicken stock, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk together until homogenous. Set aside.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add chicken, spread in a single layer, and cook without moving until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Continue cooking, tossing and stirring frequently, until the exterior is opaque but chicken is still slightly raw in the center, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.

Wipe out the wok and heat the remaining 2 Tbsp of oil over high heat until smoking. Add the peppers and celery and cook, stirring and tossing occasionally, until brightly coloured and browned in spots, about 1 minute. Add peanuts and toss to combine.

Push the vegetables up the side of the wok to clear a space in the center. Add the garlic, ginger, scallions and dried chilies and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return chicken to the wok and toss to combine. Stir sauce and add to the wok. Cook, tossing until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients and the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Serve immediately.