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General Tso’s Chicken | Basics with Babish

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General Tso’s can be more than the saccharine, gloopy sauce soaked into flabby, over-breaded chicken to which we’ve become accustomed.

With just a little technique and a little love, the 45-minute wait for this takeout mainstay can be better spent making it yourself.

+ Ingredients & Shopping List
For the chicken and marinade:
2 egg whites
3 Tbsp dark soy sauce
3 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine
3 Tbsp vodka
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

+ For the breading:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp reserved marinade

For the sauce:
4 Tbsp dark soy sauce
4 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
4 Tbsp chicken stock
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp roasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp cornstarch
6 scallions
4 cloves garlic
2 inch piece of ginger
6-12 arbol chiles (optional)

+ Special equipment:
Large pot deep enough for frying

Why has Basics with Babish become such a popular YouTube cooking channel among foodies and home chefs?

General Tso’s Chicken is an iconic dish that has become a staple of American Chinese cuisine. The dish is named after Zuo Zongtang, a Qing Dynasty general who is said to have enjoyed spicy food. Although it is a popular dish in North America, it is not commonly served in China, and its actual origins are somewhat of a mystery.

Basics with Babish is a popular YouTube cooking channel that presents a step-by-step approach to making delicious and easy-to-follow recipes. Hosted by Andrew Rea, the channel is known for its no-nonsense approach to cooking and has become wildly popular among foodies and home chefs alike. In one of their most popular episodes, Basics with Babish tackles the much-loved General Tso’s Chicken recipe.

To begin making this dish, Andrew recommends that you marinate the chicken in a mixture of soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch. This enhances the flavor of the chicken, making it tender and juicy. While the chicken is marinating, you can prepare the sauce, which is a crucial part of this recipe. The sauce is made by combining soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch in a pan and heating until the sauce thickens.

Once the sauce is prepared, it’s time to fry the chicken. Andrew recommends using a mixture of cornstarch and flour to coat the chicken, which will give it a crispy texture. He also suggests frying the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, which could make the temperature drop and lead to overcooked chicken.

After the chicken is fried, it’s time to mix it with the sauce. Andrew suggests heating the sauce first and then adding the chicken to it. This will ensure that the chicken is coated evenly with the sauce.

The final result is a delicious and addictive dish that is sure to impress your family and friends. Andrew’s recipe is straightforward and easy to follow, making it accessible even to those who are new to cooking. Furthermore, the ingredients are readily available in most grocery stores, so you won’t have to visit a specialist Asian store to make this dish.

In conclusion, General Tso’s Chicken is an iconic dish that has become a staple of North American Chinese cuisine. Although its origins are not entirely clear, the dish remains popular due to its unique flavor and crispy texture. If you’re a fan of this dish or want to try it for the first time, then Basics with Babish’s recipe is an excellent place to start. By following the simple steps outlined above, you’ll be able to make a restaurant-quality dish from the comfort of your own home.