Chinese Imperial Palace General Tso's Chicken

General Tso's chicken is a sweet and spicy deep-fried chicken dish that is popularly served in American and Canadian Chinese restaurants where it is considered Hunan cuisine. The origins of the dish are unclear. The dish was previously largely unknown in China and other lands home to the Chinese diaspora. Thus, General Tso's Chicken is most likely an American invention in the history of American-Chinese food.The association with General Tso, or Zuo Zongtang, a Qing dynasty general and statesman, is unclear. The dish is atypical of Hunanese cuisine, which is traditionally very spicy and rarely sweet. Instead, the dish is believed to have been introduced to New York City in the early 1970s as an example of Hunan and Szechuan-style cooking.

Ingredients

1. For the sauce:
2. =============
3. 1/2 cup cornstarch
4. 1/4 cup water
5. 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
6. 3/4 cup sugar
7. 1/2 cup soy sauce
8. 1/4 cup white vinegar
9. 1/4 cup sherry wine or white wine
10. 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
11. 1 teaspoon msg (optional)
12. .
13. For the meat:
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15. 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into chunks
16. 1/4 cup soy sauce
17. 1 teaspoon white pepper
18. 1 egg, beaten
19. 1 cup cornstarch
20. 2 cups green onions, sliced
21. 8 small dried hot peppers, seeds removed or 2 tablespoons chili paste
22. Directions

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients for sauce in a quart jar with a lid and shake gently. Store in refrigerator until ready for use.
2. Mix chicken, soy sauce, and pepper. Stir in egg. Add cornstarch, and mix until chicken pieces are coated.
3. Deep fry 7 or 8 chicken pieces at a time in a 350 degree oil until chicken pieces are crispy. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all chicken is fried.
4. Place a small amount of oil (1 Tbs.) in wok, and heat to 400 degrees.
5. Add onions, peppers, and stir fry about 30 seconds.
6. Stir sauce mixture, then add to wok. Cook until thick. If too thick, add water a little at a time until right consistency is reached.
7. Add chicken to sauce in wok, and cook until hot and bubbly.
8. Serve with fried or steamed rice.