Jornix's Kung Pao Chicken Pasta


Reposting from Jornix's blog, haven't tried his version yet but it looks superb to me. Just a quick FYI: I got inspired to learn how to cook because of my mom and my brother (yes Jornix and I are sibs) and although he is blessed in terms of flavor inventions and putting humor in writing, he is now a busy father of two, thus the idle blog.

Another funny side note: Trying to explain an order of Kung Pao chicken with a side of chow mein noodles instead of rice to a middle-aged Chinese waitress is like rocket science.

So here it is:

Ever since the onset of Yellow Cab Pizza here in Manila, it was always a curious notion of mine on why would they put on their line-up a pasta dish with an Asian twist. I've tried it, quite a few times already; back then, it wasn't such a big deal. It was pasta, it was brown, it was spicy, and I couldn't care less it there was a next time or not. It didn't quite appeal to me like a nagging wife sort of way.

Fast forward to when we had a 3 week family vacation in the States; where anything edible is of in abundance; hamburgers as big as trash can lids, pancakes the size of dinner plates, unlimited ketchup packets, ranch dressing, mustard tins, java cream tubs, well... you get the picture. Halfway through our R&R, it just struck me like a bat out of hell. I want Charlie Chan Chicken Pasta; but wait, how on earth am I able to have that when, fact of the matter is, I'm not in Manila. The solution... research! After a good helping of Google and blog searches, it came to my knowledge that Charlie Chan and Kung Pao Chicken were in fact, one and the same.

To get my Kung Pao fix, we just ordered a side of chow mein noodles apart from our Kung Pao Chicken. It was pretty close. During those times, it was the bomb. From then on, I have pledged myself to the cause of knocking off Charlie Chan the moment I got back to Manila.

Here's the recipe that I rehashed from the different other recipes I got off the net.

KUNG PAO CHICKEN PASTA/CHARLIE CHAN CHICKEN PASTA

1 package 400 gms. Del Monte Pasta
1/2 K. chicken breast fillets
3 cloves garlic minced
1 medium white onion diced
1 small toe of ginger (cut however you like, you'll take it out later anyway)
3 tbs. Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce
1/4 cup Kikoman Soy Sauce
3 tbs. Oyster Sauce
3 tbs Aristocrat/Reye's BBQ Peanut Sauce
2 tbs. Sesame Oil
1/4 cup water
1 tb. constarch
1 bunch of green onions
1 packet of nuts (cashews or peanuts)

I'll try to make this a simple as possible.; start boiling water for your pasta so that the time you get finished with your sauce, your pasta is ready to go.

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.
Marinate chicken in Kikoman soy sauce and a little pepper to taste.

In a seperate bowl, combine all wet ingredients i.e. hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, peanut sauce, sesame oil, water and constarch.

Heat oil for stir frying chicken.
Stir fry chicken until it is firm and has a nice bite to it. Remove chicken and drain excess oil
Remove excess oil in pan, reserve just enough for stir frying the veggies.

Toss in the ginger, then onions, when translucent, add the minced garlic.
Just about before the garlic turns golden, toss in the pre-assembled liquid mixture.
(Remember this is stir fry, the fire is always on high, and all this happens in about 10 mins.)

When the sauce begins to thicken and start to boil, toss the chicken back in and the nuts as well
Start looking for the ginger that you tossed in earlier, its gonna taste horrible when someone bites into that. Take it out.

Cut the green onion into 1 inch pieces and add to the sauce.
By this time, the pasta should be ready and you can put the pasta in the sauce and toss.

Enjoy!

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