Kung Pao Chicken or Tofu

Here's another recipe from The Adaptable Feast that I've tried.

This Chinese take-out favorite traditionally gets its kick from Szechwan peppercorns, a spice that comes from the prickly ash tree. I use easier-to-find small dried red chiles to add a smoky, moderate heat to this stir-fry.

Marinade and proteins:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound chicken breast, thinly sliced
8 oz firm nigari tofu, frozen and thawed (see Tip), cut into 1-inch cubes

Sauce:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup vegetable stock or water
1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce, such as sambal oelek

Stir-Fry and Serving
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
10-12 small dried red chiles
1 tablespoon peeled, minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 chopped green onions
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the bias
1 8-oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
5 cups hot cooked rice
Chili sauce to pass, such as sambal oelek

1. Make the marinade. Whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine, and cornstarch in a medium bowl until smooth. Spoon 4 tablespoons of the mixture into a small bowl, add the chicken and toss to combine.
2. VEGETARIAN: Toss the tofu with the remaining marinade.
3. Marinate the tofu and chicken while preparing the remaining ingredients, or cover and marinate in refrigerator for up to 3 hours.
4. Make the sauce. Combine the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, brown sugar, the 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, stock and chile sauce in a small measuring cup; set aside.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it is cooked through and lightly singed in areas, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
6. Wash out the wok thoroughly and put it over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and chiles and stir-fry until they begin to brown, about 30 seconds. Remove the chiles and reserve, leaving the flavored oil in the wok. Add the tofu and fry without stirring until it is golden brown on 1 side, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, 10 seconds. Add the green onions, celery, water chestnuts and peanuts and stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Stir the sauce mixture and add it to the wok. Return the reserved chiles and stir-fry until the sauce is thickened and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
7. VEGETARIAN: Put a quarter of the stir-fry (including most of the tofu) into a bowl; cover and set aside.
8. Return the chicken to the wok with the remaining vegetables and sauce and stir-fry for 30 seconds to reheat. Put in a serving bowl.
   
9. Serve with the rice and chili sauce.

TIP: To render the tofu w0k-ready and firm, freeze it overnight (or longer). Let it thaw on a paper towel-lined plate, weighting the top of the tofu with a few heavy cans set on top of a dinner plate. The excess moisture in the tofu will melt away, leaving the tofu firmer and spongelike so it will absorb marinades and sauces more effectively.