A few months ago, my husband and I completely lost our sense of taste and smell during an otherwise mild case of COVID-19. Overall, we were very fortunate, but it was still sudden and shocking to be so completely deprived of something that I took entirely for granted!

The level of loss was profound. I could bite into whole lemons without tasting a thing. You could grind a cup of whole coffee beans right next to me, and I wouldn’t be able to smell it. Sitting down to dinner was about as fun as eating a wet newspaper. To someone that takes a lot of pleasure not only from cooking, but also from eating, this was an alarming few weeks!

Fast forward several months later, and these senses have pretty much come back to normal. A few things are still blank; some nuances of flavor haven’t returned for me. I have also found that I’m able to identify certain background notes with a much higher acuity, and I’m finding that I like new flavor combinations. It’s been interesting to create original recipes with a ‘baby fresh’ set of smell and taste receptors!

What I’m especially loving these days is spice! You will find me slurping on spicy, savory ramen bowls with gusto, and diving into hot curries with abandon! Thai & Chinese flavors are especially appealing at the moment, as that symphony of sour/sweet/bitter/salt play brightly on my tongue.

Bring on the layered spicy heat!

This newest recipe dazzles my new palate preferences! Schezuan peppercorns, sambal, and red pepper flakes bring a robust, layered, heat to the dish, supplemented by plenty of garlic and black vinegar. My delicious and easy chicken recipe is full of punchy flavor and balanced spiciness. Serve this take-out favorite over steamed rice for a perfect & quick dinner! This authentic style recipe for Kung-Pao Chicken is keto friendly / low carb as well, with about 8g carbs per serving!

Authentic Style Kung-Pao Chicken

serves 4

For the Chicken

1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken thighs, cubed

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons Chinese cooking wine

2 teaspoons soy sauce

Combine the cornstarch with the soy sauce & the cooking wine. Fork whisk until dissolved.

In a seperate large bowl, place the chicken and add the cornstarch slurry. Mix well, and leave to marinate for 15-30 min.

For the Sauce

1 ½ tablespoons black vinegar

1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sesame oil

Mix all of the ingredients together and reserve.

For the Stir Fry

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon sambal oolek

5 or 6 Sichuan peppercorns

6 scallions, the white sections cut into ¼ inch slices, & the green sections very thinly sliced.

5 cloves garlic, roughly minced

½ cup roasted & unsalted, peanuts

Set stovetop to high heat.

Heat the vegetable oil until extremely hot (the oil will shimmer and have currents running through it), then add the dried red pepper flakes, Sichuan peppercorns, sambal, & garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring continuously (this step flavors the oil).

Next, add the white portion of the scallions, and stir for 30 seconds.

Push all of the aromatics to one side of the pan and add the chicken, leaving it for approximately 30 seconds, to start a sear. Flip the chicken pieces over and leave for another 30 seconds. After searing on both sides, mix everything together and stir-fry until the chicken is ‘just’ cooked, about 3-4 minutes.

When the chicken is fully cooked, add the already prepared sauce, and the peanuts.

Stir-fry for 30 seconds to heat, while mixing.

Serve over steamed rice, sprinkling the thinly sliced green onion overtop.

Enjoy!

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5 from 6 votes