Real-Deal Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, and cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, divided
• 1 tablepoon cornstarch, divided
• 1/3 cup peanut oil
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns toasted in hot skillet for 30 seconds until fragrant, divided
• 3 scallions, whites finely minced, and greens finely sliced, reserved separately
• 1/2 cup fried fresh peanuts or roasted unsalted peanuts
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Sichuan fermented chili-bean paste
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 12 hot Chinese dry chili peppers, seeded
• 2 small leeks, white and light green parts only, cut into 1/4-inch slices

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the chicken, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch until everything is evenly coated. Refrigerate the chicken for at least 30 minutes and as long as 2 hours. Crush half of the Sichuan peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, then stir them together with the scallion greens and set that aside. In a small bowl, mix the scallion whites with the garlic and ginger. In another small bowl, combine the remaining soy sauce, remaining Shaoxing wine, remaining cornstarch, black vinegar, chili-bean paste, and sugar, stirring until the cornstarch has completely disappeared into the sauce.
2. Place a fine-meshed strainer over a small heat-proof bowl. Warm the peanut oil in a wok over high heat until it looks shimmery. Add the remaining Sichuan peppercorns and the dried chiles, and cook until they smell fragrant, about 15 seconds. Pour everything through the strainer. Save the chiles and discard the peppercorns.
3. Put the wok back over high heat and heat it until it smokes. Pour in 1/4 of the oil, then add half of the marinated chicken right away. Use a spatula to spread the chicken into an even layer. Leave it alone for 1 minute, then continue cooking, stirring and tossing the pieces constantly, until just cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Move the chicken to a medium metal bowl. Wipe the wok clean with a paper towel, add another 1/4 of oil, and cook the remaining chicken the same way. Wipe the wok out again, add another 1/4 of the oil, and cook the leeks until they have a few charred spots but still keep a little bite, about 1 minute. Add the peanuts, reserved chiles, reserved chicken, and remaining oil to the wok, then push everything toward the sides so the center is open. Add the garlic and ginger mixture to the center and cook, stirring that mixture constantly, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Toss everything in the wok together, then pour in the sauce. Cook, stirring and tossing the whole time, until the chicken is covered in a shiny coating of sauce. Stir in the scallion greens and ground Sichuan pepper. Move everything to a serving plate and serve immediately with steamed white rice.