Kung Po Chicken is a spicy Sichuan dish made with chili peppers, peanuts, and chicken. It is believed to have been discovered by a Chinese crown prince and is traditionally prepared by marinating the meat in soy sauce and rice wine. The dish is full of vitamins and low in fat, but high in sodium. The Western version lacks the unique flavor of Sichuan peppercorn due to a 40-year ban on importing the spice into the United States.
Kung Po Chicken, also known as Kung Pao Chicken or Gong Bao, is a traditional Sichuan dish. Originally from the Sichuan province of China and spread to the west, there are now multiple versions of this dish. Typically quite spicy, the main ingredients found in Kung Po Chicken are chili peppers, peanuts and, of course, chicken. While the history of this dish is unknown, it is believed that it may have been discovered by a Chinese crown prince who encountered the recipe on his extensive travels and brought it back to the Imperial Court.
Sichuan province is typically a hot and humid region and Sichaun cuisine tends to mirror this climate as it is usually hot and spicy. Due to the inclusion of the chilies, Kung Po Chicken also falls into this category. Some say that food also serves to cool the body through the sweating process.
To prepare and cook Kung Po chicken, the meat is cubed and marinated in soy sauce, rice wine and water for up to 30 minutes. The chiles are then chopped and added to the mix. The oil is heated in a wok, or skillet, and the chicken is pan-fried for a few minutes. The chicken is removed and dried with a towel to absorb excess oil. Garlic and peanuts are added to the wok and stirred, then mixed with the chicken.
Although Kung Po chicken is popular all over the world, there is one aspect of the dish that the Western dish lacks. Sichuan peppercorn is unique in flavor and taste but not usually found on the western menu. This is because for many years it was illegal to bring peppercorns into the United States because they were said to carry the citrus canker virus and could potentially destroy local citrus crops. The ban lasted for nearly 40 years, and as a result the distinct flavor of the Sichuan peppercorn is all but absent from American Kung Po dishes.
Eating Kung Po chicken has been claimed to have some health benefits. The dish is full of vitamins and is low in fat, prompting some people to go so far as to call for blood pressure reductions and heart disease incidents. It’s quite high in sodium, however, but this can be fixed by using a low-sodium soy sauce when cooking your meal.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
