5.0 from 24 votes
Kung Pao Pheasant
This recipe is designed for pheasant or chicken, but any white meat will do: turkey, quail, partridge, rabbit, grouse, even pork loin.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 223 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Chinese
Ingredients
SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon potato starch or 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
MARINADE
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons potato starch or 2 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1 tablespoon water
PHEASANT
- Skinless breasts from 2 pheasants
- 5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- A 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 5 to 6 green onions, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 to 10 dried hot chiles (Sichuan, cayenne, etc)
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chicken fat, lard or peanut oil
- 3/4 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
Instructions
- Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce together and set aside.
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade in a medium bowl. Cut the pheasant breasts into small chunks of about 1/2 inch across and mix in with the marinade ingredients. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice the garlic cloves into slivers, mince the ginger as fine as you can and cut the green onions into 1/2-inch pieces. Break the dried chiles into 1/2-inch pieces and shake out as many seeds as you can.
- Set a wok over high heat for 1 minute. Add the chicken fat, lard or peanut oil and heat this until you see the faintest wisp of smoke. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and the dried chiles and stir-fry 15 seconds.
- Add the pheasant and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the bell pepper, garlic, ginger and green onions and stir fry another 30 seconds.
- Stir the sauce well and pour it into the wok. Add the peanuts and toss to combine. Bring to a rapid boil and stir fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Serve immediately over white rice with a beer.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- This dish cannot be doubled. If you want to serve more people, make separate batches. Overloading the wok with a double batch will lower the heat too much and you'll steam and not sear everything.
Nutrition Information
Calories
223kcal
(11%)
Carbohydrates
14g
(5%)
Protein
9g
(18%)
Fat
16g
(25%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Cholesterol
1mg
(0%)
Sodium
821mg
(34%)
Potassium
309mg
(9%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Vitamin A
481IU
(10%)
Vitamin C
4mg
(4%)
Calcium
37mg
(4%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 223
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 223kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 14g | 5% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 1mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 821mg | 34% |
| Potassium | 309mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 481IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 37mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.