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On the Internet, General Tso’s Chicken inspires a level of agitation usually reserved for people who misquote a Star Wars character or use an apostrophe incorrectly. So, let’s start with a few disclaimers. No, it’s not really a traditional Hunanese dish. Yes, it often has too much sugar. That said, General Tso’s Chicken is a dish created by Chinese chefs, and has since become one of the most popular Chinese dishes in America. And while it’s a take-out staple, General Tso’s is surprisingly easy and fun to make at home.

One of the beauties of making your own General Tso’s is that it allows you to tinker with flavors. The critics are right that most take-out versions are too sweet. Good General Tso’s Chicken balances sweetness with spicy and vinegary flavors that too often get masked by sugar. Toning down the sugar not only let’s you enjoy this interplay of tastes, it also makes the dish a little healthier and lets kids experiment with spiciness in a way that’s not overwhelming to their palates.

IMAGE SOURCE: ELIZABETH STARK

IMAGE SOURCE: ELIZABETH STARK

A few notes on this recipe, adapted from Appetite for China: it uses boneless skinless thighs, which is great because they’re both inexpensive and less prone to drying out if you overcook them, making them a very forgiving cut. Also, upon making the sauce, it may appear that there’s no way it will be thick enough, but as you toss the chicken with it in the wok, the sauce will thicken, so there’s no need to worry.

General Tso’s Chicken

adapted from Appetite for China

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Chicken:
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 1/2 cups cornstarch
3 cups vegetable oil
12 dried arbol chili peppers
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 scallions, chopped

Marinade:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cooking sherry
3 egg whites

Sauce:
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons chili paste
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons minced green onion

Instructions:
1. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and whisk together. Place the chicken in a dish or bowl and mix marinade in. Set in fridge and let stand for at least 20 minutes.

2. Heat the oil to 350 F in a wok.

3. While oil is heating, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl.

4. Place cornstarch in a large mixing bowl. Remove chicken from marinade and mix it in with cornstarch, being certain to coat each piece completely.

5. Cooking chicken in two to three batches to avoiding crowding, place chicken in heated oil and brown on both sides for a total cook time of 3-6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove chicken to a plate with a paper towel.

6. Carefully pour out all but a teaspoon of the cooking oil from wok for disposal later. Return wok to medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and chili peppers. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

7. Add the chicken to the wok, then pour in sauce. Turn chicken with a wooden spoon so it’s completely coated. Cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.

8. Sprinkle chicken with green onion. Serve immediately with rice and steamed broccoli.

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I simply love the idea of sneaking vegetables into popsicles. The idea of exploring veggies in a whole new way is sorta what this blog is about, right? So a Beet & Berries Popsicle is of no surprise, especially if you’ve had my Salted Celery Popsicle. Yum!

Ingredients

• 1 Pound Strawberries
• 4 Ounces Raspberries
• ½ Cup Sugar
• 1 ½ Pounds Beets
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• Pinch Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Water

 

Yield: 10 popsicles

Total Time

10 hours, 7 minutes

Prep time

5 minutes

Inactive time

10 hours

Cook time

2 minutes

Recipe Type:

 Popsicles

Diet:

 Vegan

1. It goes without saying, but I am going to say it anyway: tasty popsicles start with tasty ingredients. While it might seem like a good idea to “use up” fruits and veggies in this fashion, it actually isn’t. Frozen items usually lose some of their flavor as a result of being frozen, so it’s best to use the best stuff you have. Check out these gorgeous raspberries from the farmers market. Yum!

2. Now let’s create our berry compote. Combine the 1 pound of strawberries, 4 ounces of raspberries and 6 tablespoons of the sugar into a small pot. Cook the berries over a medium-low heat, mashing them in the process, until the sugar is combined and the berries have released some of their juices.

3. Remove the berries from the heat and add in 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegarand a pinch of ground black pepper. These savory ingredients will heighten the flavor of the berries, making them seem (oddly enough) sweeter.

4. Let the mixture cool a bit, stir in 2 tablespoons of water, and then divide it amongst your popsicle mold, placing it in the freezer. This is how you get the two-tone effect. We are just going to let that firm up a bit while we make our beet juice.

5. Go ahead and juice your beets. You’re going to want about 1 and 1/4 cup juice total. While 1.5 pounds of red beets might do the trick, it might not. You might need 2 or so depending on how juicy your beets are. There is no way to really judge this when buying them.

6. Add the remaining sugar to the beet juice and then top off the popsicles. The beet juice will work its way into all the nooks and crannies, giving the pops a tie-dye effect, once you add in the popsicle sticks.

7. Freeze the popsicles for at least 10 hours before serving. To remove the pops from the mold, submerge it in lukewarm water for just a few seconds.

Enjoy!

(http://cookingstoned.tv)

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