Mixed Fried Rice with Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao chicken is one dish that won our hearts in the first try itself, in a nearby restaurant. 

Me, being myself, wanted to recreate it at home. I just went by the taste, and added the ingredients I felt, were in that dish. And the result was this tasty, home-made kung pao chicken. Loved it..we all!! 

Ingredients - Kung Pao Chicken

To Marinate

Boneless chicken, cut into small pieces - about 300g

Salt - as per taste

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

Soy sauce - 1 tsp

Half egg (optional)

Corn flour - 1 tsp

For Sauting

Big onion - 1 medium, cubed

Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed

Capsicum - 1 small, cubed

Roasted Cashew/Peanuts - handful

Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 tsp or dried red chilly - 2

Spring onions - 2 tbsp, for garnishing

Soy sauce - 1 tbsp

Rice vinegar - 1 tbsp

Chicken broth/ water - 1/2 cup or 1 cup if you need more gravy

Sugar - a pinch

Dried red chilly (Kashmiri) - 2

Method

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with ingredients mentioned and keep them for 10 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a pan and fry them (in med-high heat) till the chicken pieces are cooked. (When you cut the chicken with a wooden spoon/spatula, it should not be reddish inside. Do not cook them for too long as then it will dry and will not be juicy any more). Keep them aside.

3. Make a concoction of broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt & sugar. Keep aside.

4. Heat a pan, add oil. Add dried red chilly. Saute till it turns the oil red. If you are using unroasted cashew/peanuts, add at this stage and saute till they turn crisp.

5. Add cubed onions and saute for not more than 30s (you need them crisp). Add the garlic and bell peppers and saute for another 30s. Add peanuts / cashews (if using roasted ones). Add kashmiri red chilly powder if you need more colour.

6. Add the sauce mixture. Let it boil. Add the cooked chicken. Let the gravy thicken. Adjust salt. 

7. Switch off the stove and sprinkle from spring onions.

Ingredients - Mixed Fried Rice

You can follow the recipe as in Vegetable Fried Rice. In addition to veggies, you can optionally add stir fried chicken, egg, shrimps.

Cooked cooled rice - 4 cups (refer recipe here)

Egg - 2

Chicken, cut into small pieces - 1/2 cup

Shrimp - 1/4 cup

Salt - as needed

Pepper powder - about 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Beat egg well along with salt and pepper. Adding a tsp of water to this will help in beating the egg really fluffy.

2. Marinate chicken with salt and pepper and keep for 10 min.

3. Marinate shrimp with salt and pepper and keep for 10 min.

4. Heat a pan, add oil. Add chicken pieces (med-high heat) and fry till cooked (not reddish inside). It wont take more than 4 minutes, keep stirring. Drain oil and keep aside.

5. In same pan, fry shrimps till cooked. Again, this will not take more than 3-4 minutes. Ensure stirring to avoid burning. Remove and keep aside.

6. In remaining oil, add the beaten egg. Wait for 10s and then scramble them lightly. Once cooked, remove.

7. Add all of these into the rice and mix gently.