Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients:
	1 1/4 lbs  chicken thighs
	    1 sml  egg
	1 5/6 Tbsp cornstarch
	    4 Tbsp soy sauce
	    4 Tbsp peanut oil
	    1 can  bamboo shoots (19 oz)
	    8      green onions, rinsed and drained (white stem only)
	    5      dried red chili peppers, seeded
	1 1/2 Tbsp cold water
	    2 Tbsp rice wine
	1 1/2 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar
	1 1/6 Tbsp sugar
	    2 tsp  sesame oil
	    1 tsp  minced pared fresh ginger root
	    2 tsp  hoisin sauce (optional)
	    1 cup  unsalted roasted peanuts
 	    1 sml  clove garlic, minced

Bone chicken thighs, then remove and discard skin.  Cut chicken into 3/4"
pieces.  Beat egg in medium bowl and add chicken.  Sprinkle chicken with
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch and mix well.  Stir in 1 Tbsp each soy sauce and 
peanut oil.  Marinate at room temperature thirty minutes.

Cut bamboo shoots into 3/4" cubes.  Cut green onions into 3/4" pieces.
Cut peppers into 1/2" pieces.  Mix 2 tsp of cornstarch and the water in 
small bowl until smooth.  Stir in 3 Tbsp soy sauce, the rice wine, vinegar, 
sugar, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil.

Heat wok over high heat fifteen seconds.  Add 3 Tbsp peanut oil and heat
until hot, about thirty seconds.  Reduce heat to low.  Add peppers then cook,
stirring and pressing peppers against wok, until dark red, about ten seconds.
Add ginger and garlic, and stir-fry ten seconds more.

Increase heat to high.  Scatter in chicken, about one quarter at a time.
Stir-fry one minute after all chicken has been added.  Add bamboo shoots
and stir-fry another minute.  Add green onions, then stir-fry thirty seconds.

Stir cornstarch mixture until smooth and add to wok.  Cook and stir until 
sauce thickens and coats chicken evenly, about thirty seconds.  Add peanuts 
and turn off heat.  Stir a few more times.  Serve immediately.

(From:  Sandi F., Fayetteville, AR
	Sandal@aol.com, on rec.food.recipes)