It's the end of July. Which means that journalists, foreigner tourists, and mainland Chinese alike have started flooding into town for the Olympics. In the next few weeks, many of them will probably eat their fair share of Kung Pao Chicken, which has been designated the official dish of the 2008 Summer Games.

Why not a native Beijing dish, like Peking duck? My guess is because Peking duck is labor-intensive, somewhat expensive, and suitable only for large groups. The humble Gongbao Jiding(宫爆鸡丁) from Sichuan province, however, is easy to prepare, cheap, and more filling than a Clif Bar if you're eating alone. Heck, the sporting venues could even sell it in the stands, as the Chinese equivalent of caramel popcorn or hot dogs. And since Kung Pao Chicken doesn't contain offal or an awkward English translation , Westerners absolutely love it. 

From my post in May on Kung Pao Tofu :

"The origin of (Kung Pao Chicken) is much debated. One popular theory is that Ding Baozhen, a Qing Dynasty emperor, enjoyed eating it so much that the dish was named after his officlal title, Gong Bao. Most people believe it to be of Sichuan or Hunan origin, though this NYTimes article says otherwise. What is important, though, is the sensational salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors and mingling on the palate.

Americanized versions often neglect the Sichuan peppercorns (Ed. - 花椒 huajiao in Chinese) , which is a shame since the mala spiciness is integral to the dish. Another faux-pas cooks there often make is adding tons of vegetatables like bell peppers and broccoli. The main protein, blistered chilis, and peanuts should be stars; chunks of vegetables get in the way in terms of both flavor and appearance."

I have made a few improvements to the recipe in the past few months. I no longer add water to the marinade, so that the flavor can be more concentrated and there is less liquid to drain away when I start cooking.

I also never slice the chilis anymore to remove the seeds. The chances of a chili pepper cracking in the middle of cooking and unleashing hot seeds all over my chicken are too small for me to bother deseeding. Leaving the chilis whole cuts the time to prepare this by a third. And after running out of gloves a few times, I have suffered burning, mind-numbing pain when removing my contacts hours later, even after I fastidiously washed my hands with a combination of milk, yogurt, soap, and water.

So, if you're not in Beijing in August for the games, you can still eat the official Olympic dish while sitting in front of your TV with the AC on and and cheering for your respective country. I may do the same, since I didn't score that many tickets, and the weather outside will still be incredibly hot and stuffy.   

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Kung Pao Chicken
Adapted from Fuchsia Dunlop's Land of Plenty

Serves 2 as a main entree, or 4 as part of a multi-course meal

16 ounces chicken breast
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
5 to 6 scallions

At least 10 dried red chilis
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon whole Sichuan peppercorns
At least one handful of dry roasted peanuts

For marinade:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

For sauce:
3 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon dark Soy sauce
1 teaspoon light Soy sauce
2 teaspoons dark rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon chicken stock or water

Cube chicken breast and mix in the marinade mixture. Let stand while you prepare the other ingredients.

If you haven't done so already, mince the garlic and peel and slice the ginger. Roughly chop the white parts of scallions, and thinly slice the green parts for garnish. Leave the dried chilis whole, or if you're really worried about seeds falling out, slice them in half and take out as many seeds as possible (wear gloves!)

In another bowl, mix together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside. (Note: Different brands of soy sauces vary in terms of saltiness, so taste your sauce. If it's too salty, add some sugar and water to dilute.)

Heat a wok with oil over high heat. Before the wok begins to smoke, add the chilis and Sichuan peppercorn. Stir-fry briefly until the chilis are slightly blistered and black and oil is slightly fragrant. Add chicken cubes and stir-fry 3 minutes.

Add garlic, ginger, and scallions, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour in sauce and mix to coat the other ingredients. When the sauce is thickened and shiny, stir in peanuts. Mix to coat, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Transfer to plates, garnish with thinly sliced scallions, and serve.