To add even more flavor to this Szechuan dish, feel free to garnish with toasted sesame seeds before serving. Bang Bang Chicken serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound chicken meat (1/2 small chicken or 1 pound of chicken breasts, bone-in)
• 1 cucumber
• Salt, as needed, to desalt cucumbers
• 1 medium carrot
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon roasted Sichuan peppercorn, optional
• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons sesame seed paste (can substitute chunky peanut butter)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, red or black if possible
• 1 tablespoon Asian sesame seed oil
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 – 2 tablespoons hot chili oil, or 1 – 2 teaspoons chili flakes, both optional
• 1 tablespoon shredded scallion (green onion, spring onion), white part only

PREPARATION:

1. In a large saucepan, bring enough water to cover the chicken to a boil. Add the chicken and cook in the boiling water for 20 minutes, until the chicken turns white and is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool.
2. Debone the chicken and cut into small strips as close to the size and thickness of matchsticks as possible.
3. Peel the cucumber, and cut into slices to match the chicken. Peel the carrot and cut into thin matchstick strips.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame seed paste or peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seed oil, sugar and hot chili oil or chili flakes.
5. To serve, arrange the cucumber slices on a serving platter. Lay the chicken on top. Add the Sichuan peppercorn if using. Pour the sauce over. Garnish with the carrot strips and shredded scallion.

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Made with hot chile peppers, chili oil is the secret ingredient in many Szechuan dishes. Besides its use in cooking, chili oil (also called hot chili oil or pepper oil) is frequently served as a condiment in dim sum or noodle restaurants. Like all hot oil infusions, the secret to making chili oil lies in getting the temperature of the heated oil just right. Too cool and the oil won’t absorb the flavors; too hot and the chili flakes will burn. Ideally, the temperature should be about 225 – 240 degrees Fahrenheit (107 to 122.5 degrees Celsius). For best results, use peanut or canola oil. You can also use olive oil if desired; just make sure it has a high enough smoking point. (Steer clear of extra virgin olive oil).

This is a basic recipe for chili oil. Once you’ve got the technique down, feel free to jazz it up by adding garlic, ginger, cumin, sugar or other spices. To make it even hotter, add more dried chiles or reduce the oil to 1/3 cup. The chili oil can be used almost immediately, but for best results leave the oil for a day to allow the flavors to blend.

Chili Oil Ingredients
10 – 12 small dried chilies (1 – 2 inches long) to make 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped chili flakes
1/2 cup peanut, canola, or olive oil.
1 tablespoon sesame oil, optional

Preparing the Dried Chiles

Cut off the stems of the dried chilies and remove the seeds.
Chop the chiles into coarse flakes (it’s easiest to do this by processing them in a blender for about 20 seconds).
(Handle the chile peppers with care – the oil in capsicum can be very dangerous for your skin and eyes. You may want to wear plastic gloves when handling the chile peppers. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterward).
Placing the Chili Flakes in a Container

Place the chili flakes in a heat resistant jar with a seal.

Heating the Oil

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high to high heat until it is starting to smoke. Continue heating the oil for 20 – 30 seconds.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Wait 3 minutes, or until the oil has cooled to 225 – 240 degrees Fahrenheit (107 to 122.5 degrees Celsius).
Infusing the Oil With the Chili Flakes

Pour the oil over the flakes. Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil if using.Cooling and Straining

Cool and strain the oil. (Be sure to save the chili flakes to use in other recipes).

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4 cups cooked rice
1 cup frozen peas – thawed
2 tbsp finely grated carrot
2 eggs – beaten
½ cup diced onion
1½ tbsp butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
salt
pepper

Cook rice following instructions on package (Bring 2 cups
water to a boil, add rice and a dash of salt, reduce heat
and simmer in covered saucepan for 20 minutes). Pour rice
into a large bowl to let it cool in the refrigerator. Scramble
the eggs in a small pan over medium heat. Separate the scrambled
chunks of egg into small pea-size bits while cooking. When rice
has cooled to near room temperature, add peas, grated carrot,
scrambled egg and diced onion to the bowl. Carefully toss all
of the ingredients together. Melt 1½ tbsp of butter in a large
frying pan over medium/high heat. When butter has completely
melted, dump the bowl of rice and other ingredients into the
pan and add soy sauce plus a dash of salt and pepper. Cook
rice for 6-8 minutes over heat, stirring often.

Makes 4 servings.

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Ingredients:
1/4 cup sesame oil
3-4 whole red peppers
3/4 onions-chopped fine
1 tbsp garlic
1 tbsp ginger
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp corn flour mixed in a cup of water
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp chilli sauce
1 tsp salt

Method:
Grind together the onions, garlic and ginger.

Heat the oil in a wok add the whole red peppers and saute over high heat till they darken a bit. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and stir-fry over high heat till glossy.

Add the corn flour mixture and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat and add the chilli powder, vinegar, soya sauce, chilli sauce and salt and mix well

Cook till well blended (1/2 minute) and use.

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Ingredients:

Ching’s secret schezwan stir fry sauce or any other brand vegetarian chinese stir fry sauce – 4 tablespoons

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In this healthier version of traditional Kung Pao Chicken, the chicken is stir-fried instead of deep-fried, reducing the fat content.

Serves 3 to 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 7 to 8 ounces each
• Marinade:
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Other:
• 8 small dried red chili peppers
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 green onions (spring onions, scallions)
• 4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorn, optional
• 1/2 cup peanuts or cashews
• a few drops sesame oil, optional

PREPARATION:

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Combine with the marinade ingredients, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the chicken for 25 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce and vegetables: In a small bowl, combine the dark soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar.

Set aside.

Cut the chilies in half so that they are approximately the same size as the chicken cubes. Remove the seeds. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Cut the green onion on the diagonal into thirds.

Heat the wok over medium-high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken. Stir-fry until it turns white and is 80 percent cooked. Remove from the wok.

Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds). Add the chili peppers and the Szechuan peppercorn if using. Stir-fry briefly until they turn dark red.

Add the sauce to the wok. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken back into the pan. Stir in the peanuts and the green onion. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Serve hot.

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