Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken rarely gets the international recognition it deserves. The deeply savoury and sweet complexity is genuine, not simple, and the technique involved in using fermented black bean correctly takes real skill. Chinese cuisine encompasses eight major regional schools with distinct ingredi…

I spent an afternoon making Kung Pao Chicken from scratch following a traditional recipe. Getting oyster sauce right was the main challenge — it's not as straightforward as it looks. The bold and numbing result was rewarding once I got it right. Chinese cuisine encompasses eight major regional scho…

Kung Pao Chicken opened a door into a cuisine I'd previously known almost nothing about. The deeply savoury and sweet flavours are unlike anything in my usual rotation and I mean that positively. communal sharing at the table is culturally central. Understanding that context made the dish taste diff…

I went in with low expectations — I'd had mediocre versions before. What I found was Kung Pao Chicken made with real commitment to fermented black bean and technique. The deeply savoury and sweet result was more complex and satisfying than anything I'd had before. Chinese cuisine encompasses eight …

Some dishes exist to comfort and Kung Pao Chicken is absolutely in that category. The deeply savoury and sweet quality works on something almost primal — you feel the warmth of it immediately. Sichuan peppercorn does work that no substitute can replicate. Chinese cuisine encompasses eight major reg…

Kung Pao Chicken here was solidly made — deeply savoury and sweet without anything to complain about. Shaoxing wine was present and handled reasonably. But something was missing from the depth that this dish should have. Chinese cuisine encompasses eight major regional schools with distinct ingredi…

I spent three months trying every version of Kung Pao Chicken I could find locally. The variation in quality is extraordinary. The best version handled five-spice with genuine knowledge and the rich with umami result was noticeably superior. Chinese cuisine encompasses eight major regional schools …

I had never tried Kung Pao Chicken before this visit and I wasn't sure what to expect. The bold and numbing taste hit immediately and made sense of the dish in a way descriptions never quite do. oyster sauce is an ingredient I'd not encountered used quite like this before. The a bustling dim sum ha…

What sets Kung Pao Chicken apart is the handling of five-spice. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the rich with umami result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience. Chinese cuisine encompasses eight major regional sch…

I've now had Kung Pao Chicken prepared traditionally and in a modern interpretation. Both are interesting. The traditional version emphasises five-spice in the way communal sharing at the table is culturally central. The bold and numbing character is more pronounced and direct. The modern interpret…