Ingredients
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2 large whole boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
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1 tablespoon cornstarch
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salt
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1/4 cup black bean sauce
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2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
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2 tablespoons chili paste with garlic
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1 tablespoon sugar
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2 tablespoons dry sherry or 2 tablespoons shao-hsing wine
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2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
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8 cloves garlic, peeled and flattened but not chopped
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2 cups vegetable oil or 2 cups corn oil
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16 -21 dried hot red chili peppers, cut in half
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1 egg white
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3/4 cup raw shelled and hulled fresh unsalted peanuts
Instructions
- Dice chicken into 3/4" cubes and combine with egg white, cornstarch and salt.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Combine next ingredients through garlic and set aside.
- Heat oil in wok and when it is almost boiling hot but not smoking, turn heat off and add peanuts in a wire sieve so that it and the peanuts inside can be easily removed.
- When peanuts turn golden remove from oil.
- They will continue to cook from retained heat after being removed.
- Don't burn them, they cook very quickly.
- Turn heat back on and when oil is hot add chicken mixture.
- Cook about 45 seconds until chicken is opaque but not browned.
- Remove and drain the chicken on paper toweling.
- Pour off all but 2 T of the oil from the wok.
- Add peppers and cook about 15 seconds, they should be dark.
- Add sauce and chicken and cook about 1 minute more.
- Serve garnished with the peanuts.