🇨🇳🇺🇸 My dad's General Tso's Chicken (左宗棠鸡) - A Chinese American Icon

Summary by Krater

Chef Lau and his family demonstrate how to make General Tso's Chicken, explaining the dish's origins in Taiwan, how it differs from traditional Hunan cuisine, and why it became popular in American Chinese restaurants.

From the video

Answers: How do you make authentic-style General Tso's Chicken at home?

• General Tso's Chicken recipe
• History of General Tso's Chicken
• Chicken marinating and battering techniques
• Double frying method for crispiness
• Sauce preparation for General Tso's Chicken
• Cooking oil smoke points and selection
• Chinese immigration history in America
• Authenticity in Chinese cuisine

Ingredients

• 10 oz chicken breast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• a few slices ginger
• 1 to 2 oz red bell pepper
• enough to submerge the chicken cooking oil
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 4 dried chili peppers
• minced garlic
• minced ginger
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• sliced bell peppers
• 1 tsp sesame oil

What it concludes

• The original recipe for General Tso's Chicken was invented by chef Peng Chang-kuei in Taiwan in the 1960s as an homage to General Zuo Zongtang.
• Olive oil has a lower smoke point and should generally be avoided for deep-frying.
• Using a combination of cornstarch and flour in the batter makes the chicken crispier than using cornstarch alone.
• Frying the chicken twice ensures it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
• Chinese-American dishes are authentic to the immigrant experience and culinary resilience in the United States.