One of my family’s biggest cravings during this shutdown has been Chinese food. There aren’t any good takeout places around where we live. I have been making General Tso’s chicken at home for many years, and it’s come in handy when we can’t drive to our favorite Chinese place. While it’s awesome to support all of our local restaurants, sometimes we just can’t manage that. This recipe does require some specialty ingredients that can be found at most grocery stores in the Asian food section. It also involves a little patience, as it can be messy and timely to prepare. 

Serve with your favorite steamed vegetable! 

General Tso’s Chicken

Serves 4-6

                    Oil for frying

1 ½ lbs        Chicken breast, cut in 1-2 inch chunks

For the breading

1 c               Cornstarch

3                  Eggs

1 tbsp          Soy sauce

1 tbsp          Water

For the sauce

½ c              Soy sauce

½ c              Rice vinegar 

¼ c              Hoisin sauce 

1 tbsp          Chili garlic sauce (add more for spicier)

1 tbsp          Minced garlic

1 tsp            Minced ginger

¼ c              Brown Sugar, packed

½ c              Water

2 tbsp          Cornstarch

-Preheat oil to 375 degrees

-Breading: Combine the cornstarch, eggs, soy sauce and water in a large bowl. It should resemble thick batter. Add more water if too thick. Add chicken and set aside.

-Sauce: Combine all ingredients. Set aside

-In small batches fry chicken for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain well. Repeat until all chicken is cooked. 

-In a large pan, heat sauce until it begins to thicken. Add chicken and stir to coat. Serve immediately. 

Vegetable Fried Rice

Serves 4-6

1 tbsp      Vegetable oil

2 c           White or brown rice, cooked, cold

2 ea         Eggs, raw, scramble in a bowl

¾ c           Pea & Carrot mixture, frozen, thawed

¼ c          Onion, dice

1 tsp        Minced garlic 

½ tsp       Minced ginger

2 tbsp      Soy sauce

1.5 tsp     Sesame oil

-Heat oil over medium heat.

-Add vegetables, cook for 4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 4-5 minutes until fragrant. 

-Combine eggs with rice. Turn heat to high. Add a quarter of the mixture and a time, stirring each addition until rice separates before adding more. 

-Add soy sauce and sesame oil, stir to combine 

-Serve immediately.