Whats the best General Tso's Recipe?

Question

Any suggestions for just the sauce/glaze...

Answer 1

This is the one I use - everyone always talks about it, and wants the recipe....

Ingredients:

3 lbs deboned dark chicken meat, cut into large chunks
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp white pepper
1 egg
1 cup cornstarch
Vegetable oil for deep frying
2 cups sliced green onions
16 small dried hot peppers
Sauce :

1/2 cup cornstarch, blended with 1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp minced ginger root
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup cooking wine
1 1/2 cup hot chicken broth
1 tsp MSG. (optional)

Directions :
Mix sauce’s ingredients and stir until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until needed.
In separate bowl, mix chicken, soy sauce and white pepper. Stir in egg. Add cornstarch and mix until chicken pieces are coated evenly. Add enough vegetable oil to help separate chicken pieces.
Divide chicken into small quantities and deep fry at 350°F until
crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Place a small amount of oil in hot wok and heat until hot.
Add onions and peppers and stirfry briefly.
Stir sauce and add to wok. Place chicken in sauce and cook until sauce thickens. Serve with rice.

Answer 2

1 lb chicken thighs, boned and cubed
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch, plus
2 teaspoons cornstarch
5 dried chili pods
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons rice wine
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce

In a large bowl, thoroughly blend the 1/2 cup of cornstarch and the eggs; add the chicken and toss to coat.
If the mixture is too thick, add some vegetable oil to separate the pieces.
In a small bowl, prepare the sauce mixture by combining the 2 tsp cornstarch with the wine, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce.
First-Stage Frying: Heat 1-2 inches of peanut oil in a wok to medium-high heat (350-400).
Fry the chicken in small batches, just long enough to cook the chicken through.
Remove the chicken to absorbent paper and allow to stand (this step can be performed well in advance, along with the sauce mixture, with both refrigerated).
Second-Stage Frying: Leave a tablespoon or two of the oil in the wok.
Add the pepper pods to the oil and stir-fry briefly, awakening the aroma but not burning them.
Return the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until the pieces are crispy brown.
The General's Favorite Sauce: Add the sauce-mixture to the wok, tossing over the heat until the sauce caramelizes into a glaze (1-2 minutes).
Serve immediately.
Serves 4, along with steamed broccoli and rice.





1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 cups broccoli florets
Peanut, corn or vegetable oil for deep-frying
1/4 cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1/4 cup Japanese soy sauce
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon minced garlic
10 small whole dried red chilies

At least 1 hour before serving, coat the chicken: Place a large wire cake rack over a jelly roll pan. Place the chicken in a medium bowl. Add the soy sauce and sherry and mix well. Add the egg and mix again until well coated. Put 1/2 cup cornstarch in a shallow bowl. A few pieces at a time, roll the chicken in the cornstarch. Place on the wire rack without the pieces touching each other. Set the bowl of cornstarch aside. Cover the chicken loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate to set the coating, at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours, the longer the better. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before deep-frying.

In a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water, cook the broccoli to set the color, about 1 minute. Using a wire mesh skimmer, transfer the broccoli to a bowl of cold water and set aside. Keep the water boiling.
Heat a large flat-bottomed wok or deep Dutch oven over high heat until very hot. Add enough oil to come about one third of the way up the sides of the wok or to a depth of 2 to 3 inches in the Dutch oven. Over high heat, heat the oil until very hot, but not smoking (the surface of the oil will shimmer slightly), or to 400*F (200*C) on a deep frying thermometer.
In a small bowl, combine the broth, soy sauce, sherry, sugar, and vinegar, stirring to dissolve the sugar as much as possible. In another small bowl, dissolve the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch in the water.
Roll the chicken again in the bowl of cornstarch. In batches without crowding, deep-fry the chicken pieces until the coating sets, about 30 seconds. Using a wire-mesh skimmer, remove the chicken and count to 10. Return the chicken to the oil and cook until golden, about 15 seconds. Remove from the oil, count to 10, and deep -fry a third time until the coating is crisp and golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to a platter and set aside while deep-frying the remaining chicken.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok. Return to high heat and add the chilies. Cook until the chilies are dark red (the longer they cook, the darker they get and the spicier the dish, so adjust the cooking time according to taste). Stir in the soy sauce mixture into the wok, then stir in the garlic. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 seconds. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat them with the sauce. Transfer to the center of a platter. Drain the broccoli from the bowl of water and return the broccoli to the saucepan of boiling water. Cook just until heated through, about 30 seconds. Drain and arrange the broccoli around the chicken. Serve immediately.