Kung Pao Dragon & Phoenix – Sybaritica

As I have mentioned before, any dish with ‘Dragon and Phoenix’ in the title generally means that it is made with shrimp and chicken. I put together this particular combination in order to show you the use of my homemade Simple Chili Oil as a dish ingredient rather than as a condiment and I have called it a ‘Kung Pao’ dish even though I stray from the traditional cookery methods a little. In the proper Sichuanese versions of Kung Pao cookery, chilies are fried in very hot until almost black, and the result is a characteristic scorched chili flavor with which the other ingredients are infused… my homemade oil definitely has that quality

Ingredients

• 1 large Chicken Breast;
• 1/2lb medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined;
• 1 cup sliced Broccoli Stalk, blanched for 1 minute;
• ½ cup Peanuts;
• 1 tsp. each Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, and Rice Wine;
• 1 tsp. Sugar;
• 1 Tbsp. Black Vinegar;
• 3 Tbsp. Chili Oil (with flakes);

First, slice the chicken breast into strips and marinate it for about twenty minutes.

Lightly fry the strips in oil until just white and not quite cooked through and then drain and set aside.

Heat a little oil in a pan over moderate heat and add the peanuts. As soon as they release their aroma and begin to toast, add the shrimp and sauté until just pink.

Finally, add the broccoli stem slices along with the chicken and the chili oil and stir until heated through. Serve Immediately.

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