Takeout-Style Kung Pao Chicken And Such A Simple Shower Fix

Since everyone here but Pat is trying to lose weight, we’ve been trying to cook healthier and lower calorie and this dish seemed to fit the bill.  We rarely make stir-fry but I’ve become a fan of “Serious Eats” and decided to use their recipe for Kung Pao Chicken  and Cindy wanted to cook so she followed the recipe as shown below which we adapted a little but the original can be found by clicking on the above link.

Kung Pao Chicken – Adapted from Serious Eats

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

 For the Stir-Fry:

2 tablespoons water with ¼ tsp chicken base

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch dice

1 large green bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch dice

2 stalks celery, cut into 3/4-inch dice

1/2 cup roasted peanuts – we used the salted version

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

2 teaspoons ginger paste

1 scallion, white and light green parts only, finely minced

Directions:

For the Chicken:

1. Combine chicken, soy sauce, wine, sugar, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Set aside for 20 minutes.

For the Sauce:

2. Combine chicken stock, soy sauce, wine, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil in a small bowl and whisk together until homogenous. Set aside.

For the Stir-Fry:

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat until smoking.

4. Add chicken, spread into a single layer, and cook without moving until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Continue cooking, tossing and stirring frequently, until the exterior is opaque but chicken is still slightly raw in the center, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.

5. Wipe out wok and heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over high heat until smoking. Add bell peppers and celery and cook, stirring and tossing occasionally, until brightly colored and browned in spots, about 1 minute.  

6. Add peanuts and toss to combine.

7. Push vegetables up side of wok to clear a space in the center. Add garlic, ginger, scallions, and dried chiles and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

8. Return chicken to wok and toss to combine.

9. Stir sauce and add to wok. Cook, tossing, until sauce thickens and coats ingredients and chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute longer. 

Serve immediately.

The Verdict:

We all thought it was very good and I tried a little with some soy sauce and liked it even better.  I enjoyed the crunch from the peanuts.  Thx Cindy for a delicious supper.

And for breakfast the next morning I had to try this, especially after the web said this “Stir-fry with a fried egg is an incredibly satisfying and versatile combination.”  After the pic, I mixed it all together to spread the runny yolk around and it was delicious.

Such A Simple Shower Fix

When we built our house, I had the master bath shower head installed too high and Bev couldn’t reach it so we have had a couple of different ones over the years similar to this with an adjustable hose wand location but she always said the water pressure wasn’t as high as she wanted it. 

So I finally hit upon a simple fix the only cost $15.88.  I removed the previous fixture and attached the extra long hose (for dog washing) directly to the pipe from the wall and installed Handheld Shower Head Holder Suction Cup – Relocatable from Amazon.

So now. with one head, it has a very good pressure and it at the right height for both of us and Bev can reach it for dog washing.  I only wish I had thought of it earlier.

Photos can be slightly enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

5/15/25 meal date