Kung Pao Diced Chicken

This is a Sichuan classic cuisine and originated from the Sichuan province of central-western China. The name came from a late Qing Dynasty official by the name of Ding Baozhen. Born in Guizhou, Ding served as the head of Shandong province and later as a governor of Sichuan province. Gong Bao or palatial guardian was his official title. Thus the name "Kung Pao" was derived from this title. There are 2 different versions of this dish in existence today. The westernized and the traditional Sichuan version below.

Recipe:

1 chicken breast meat
200 g pea shoots
8 dried chilies
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorn
1/2 cup cooked peanuts

Seasoning A

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Salt to taste
A little MSG if you prefer (optional)

Seasoning B

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Method:

Remove the skin and bone of the chicken breast meat, dice and mix with seasoning A. Rinse the pea shoots and blanch in boiling water, arrange them flatly on a plate. Cut the dried chilies into sections.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan and stir-fry the Sichuan peppercorn over low heat, then remove the peppercorn. Stir-fry the dried chilies, followed by the diced chicken. Lastly, add seasoning B and the peanuts and stir for a while. Serve on the plate with the pea shoots.