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Everyone who eats in restaurant or prepares his/her own meal should notice there are many variations of the same dish by different chefs. Sometimes it is hard to tell what is the signature of a dish. e.g. if you take out the allergenic peanuts, can the dish still be called Kung pao chicken anymore. For example, a chicken-less Kung Pao chicken does not make sense. The chicken part is obvious in the name. If you replace chicken with pork, can you called it Kung pao pork instead? However, does a peanut-less Kung Pao Chicken make sense? Another example: if you don't stir fry the dish but simmer the same ingredients like a stew, can you still call it kung pao? What are the "must have" in the dish before the dish's variations lose their identity? This kind of signature information is often missing in almost all cookbooks. Kowloonese 18:13, May 23, 2005 (UTC)
Heck it doesn't even need the chicken (or other meat) sometimes. A company by the name if SimplyAsia made instant noodles accompanied with just the sauce. --—Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.132.22.219 ( talk • contribs)
Recipes doesn't belong in Wikipedia, as I understand it, but should be included in the wiki cookbok instead. Once there, strange things like trying to flambé with 15 % alcohol, or at all using Shaoxing wine in Sichuan, can be dealt with. Without mercy ;) Berox 22:48, 9 March 2006 (UTC)
Two corrections I'm making. First, the removal of Sichuan peppercorns from the recipe has nothing to do with "Western tastes" and everything to do with the fact that, until 2005, it was illegal to import them to the U.S. because they could carry a disease that would harm citrus crops (check the entry for Sichuan peppercorns). Second, the reference to Chernobyl chicken is a misreading of the Jargon file--while Chernobyl chicken is described in the laser chicken entry (which is appropriately in reference to Kung Pao), the former does not actually describe kung pao chicken, but lemon chicken. Junkmale 17:28, 11 April 2006 (UTC)
Badagnani- nice work ordering it all under two main headings. I think this gives the article much needed structure. In my last edit, I've placed the "westernized version" first, just because most english language speakers looking at this entry will be used to the Kung Pao version. Also just tightened some phrasing. All in all it's looking a lot better. Djwatson 12:54, 4 May 2006 (UTC)
What does it mean that the peanuts are "roasted in a sweet batter"? That doesn't make sense. The peanuts I've seen in kung pao are just peanuts, not coated in any kind of batter. Do you mean they're fried like tempura? That's strange as I've never seen kung pao made in this way. Can you please explain? Badagnani 17:29, 9 May 2006 (UTC)
Thanks -- a scan of various kung pao chicken recipes online shows that the peanuts are always added at the very end of the cooking, the opposite of what that editor stated. Badagnani 01:37, 10 May 2006 (UTC)
The preparation section of this page does not mention using Hoisin sauce. Also, the page on Hoisin sauce does not mention any use in Kung Pao chicken. Also, this page warns against using Hoisin sauce in Kung Pao chicken. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/my_recipe_box/review/0,1973,FOOD_9919_24748,00.html .
If the text here has a similarity to another online article about Kung Pao chicken, the explanation is most likely that that website copied from the Wikipedia article's text, as is so often the case. Scan the edit history and you'll clearly see this. Badagnani 00:56, 14 November 2006 (UTC)
I had to write here as the "Edit summary (Briefly describe the changes you have made)" box has a limit and can't write too long there. Multiple corrections & additions:- corrected wrong Mandarin PinYin, Added 2 types of Cantonese PinYin, Added photo for Chinese version of Gong Bao Chicken, swapped position of Western and SiChuan version (since it is a Chinese dish, SiChuan version should be explained 1st), added the fact that cashew nuts are also used besides peanuts, all external links and references are grouped into the “References” section at the bottom, and other changes. Michelle Saw 03:10, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
The article mentions two natives types of chilli: cháo tiān jiāo ( 朝 天 椒) and qī xīng jiāo ( 七 星 椒). After some research, it seems that the former is a long, slim type, perhaps the one typically sold in Chinese supermarkts while the second is shaped like a cone. I also think these are identical to the chillies referred to in cookbooks as "facing heaven" and "seven stars", though the former is described "plump" in Fuchsia Dunlops "Land of Plenty" Sichuan cookbook. Is this right?
A related Chinese Chilli question: I keep hearing about "tien tsin" chillies, e.g., here: http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeystientsin.html. Are these related to any of the two, or are they a third type? How would "tien tsin", obviously an outdated transcription, be written in Chinese logograms? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 88.73.20.145 ( talk) 01:34, 5 February 2007 (UTC).
I was recently in China, and had Kung Pao chicken in Shanghai at a Sichuan restaurant highly recommended to me by a professor originally from Sichuan province, and took a photo of the dish I was served.
Looking at this article, I was a bit surprised at how different the photo of the "traditional dish" appears. The major ingredients look the same (chicken, peanuts, onions, red chilis), but the overall colors look quite different, as do the type of onions, the amount of sauce, etcetera. How certain are we that this photo is representative of the "authentic" dish as served in Sichuan?
If there is any doubt, I would be happy to contribute my photo linked to above to Wikipedia. As I mentioned, I have good reason to believe it was authentic - it was served at a Sichuan restaurant in Shanghai recommended to me by a Sichuan professor as one of the best Sichuan restaurants in town, and one of the students who accompanied me was from Sichuan herself and pointed it out specifically as a famous dish.
—Steven G. Johnson ( talk) 00:04, 17 July 2008 (UTC)
The "in popular culture" section of this article is not only non-encyclopedic but an insult to the rest of this article. It ought to be removed -- but I recognize the need for prior discussion before doing such. Thoughts? – moonty ( talk) ( contribs) 04:37, 30 July 2008 (UTC)
If the dish is named after his title (宮保), how did the 保 (to protect) change into 爆 (to explode)? I think this information should be added for completeness. [And I'd like to know too...] Jbradfor ( talk) 18:19, 19 August 2008 (UTC)
Hi there, I'm new to editing Wikipedia so forgive me if I don't use the proper formatting. 爆 is correct according to my Chinese instructor. According to her, this character refers to the reaction of the hot oil when the meat (which has a lot of water in it) is thrown in. The result is indeed quite explosive, especially if you're cooking at the right temperature. That having been said, it could be a regional thing. My instructor is a native Beijinger, and somebody from a different part of China may have a different opinion. -Sebastian (no account yet) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.193.54.62 ( talk) 17:10, 23 May 2012 (UTC)
Please explain this blanking. Badagnani ( talk) 03:01, 18 September 2008 (UTC)
There are spelling variations. Did you actually do searches before removing the alternate spellings? I'd like to see evidence first. Badagnani ( talk) 03:46, 18 September 2008 (UTC)
Has anyone else ever heard of this? Growing up in the state of RI, in America, I remember this dish very well. It was similar to Kung Pao Chicken. I never had it but my father did often. It was a Sichuan dish, very spicy and finished off with peanuts. But it wasn't just a 1980's or a RI name for Kung Pao Chicken, as Kung Pao Chicken was also offered on the same section of the menu. I thought it should get a mention on the main American Chinese cuisine page, if not it's own page but I can't seem to find much information about it on-line. Given the similarities of the two dishes, I thought that this might be a good place to ask. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 4.254.83.148 ( talk) 17:37, 23 September 2010 (UTC)
This article: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/23/dining/23gong.html refutes the Sichuan origins (indicating that it came from somewhere else originally, but spread from Sichuan to the Western world, hence why many people think it came from there), and also indicates that the authentic dish should not have nuts. Thoughts? Sources for the opposite viewpoint? Carychan ( talk) 04:53, 3 December 2010 (UTC)
Perhaps we should start a section that debates the origin of the dish. I think if you read they NY Times article closely they aren't refuting that it came from Sichuan with solid research, rather they are quoting a knowledgeable native of Guizhou province that asserts that Kungpao chicken is from his area rather than Sichuan. I just looked at the Chinese version of Wikipedia on Baidu and they have three main theories about where the dish came from. 1st, made in Guizhou and Ding Baozhen would ask his cooks in areas he was stationed to make it. 2nd, that it is from Sichuan and he really loved it when he mingled with common people so they named it after him. 3rd that he was eating a spicy chicken dish (la zi ji)while in Sichuan and the cook put peanuts in it, and Ding Baozhen asked for it to be made like that and the dish evolved into different forms. Leeidiot008 ( talk) 07:11, 3 December 2010 (UTC)
You're right, "refutes" is too strong, I should have said something like "debates." I'll see if I can find any more sources. I think adding a section with this information would be an excellent idea, but my Chinese is only so-so. Would you like to take a stab at it? :) Carychan ( talk) 08:20, 9 December 2010 (UTC)
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The article cites the NPR article and mentions a cooking technique called Hongbao, or "Fast-fr[ying]". Can anyone find out what it actually was in Chinese? -- Artoria 2e5 contrib 01:22, 5 October 2017 (UTC)
I was also wondering about variants including cashew instead of peanut. The UK website for LKK includes cashews in their recipe [1] (also bell peppers and celery). Their USA website includes several King Pao recipes [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] and they all use peanuts every time. (I also notice in the section above Talk:Kung Pao chicken#Edited on 21 Jan 2007 user Michelle Saw mentioned cashews too.) I thought it might be a UK thing but recipes for Kung Pao from the BBC and Kung Pao from Jamie Oliver and others [7] [8] all use peanuts too. I found an article from the Guardian Kung Pao recipe with cashews as an option.
An article from seriouseats.com says peanuts or Kung Pao with no nuts at all is more traditional. The article ends with one opinion that mentions cashews and explains them as a more expensive substitute for peanut if you can afford them. -- 109.76.203.103 ( talk) 05:01, 5 February 2021 (UTC)
Isn't there often a coating (consisting of cornstarch, egg, etc.) to the chicken or tofu? 173.88.246.138 ( talk) 00:28, 8 October 2021 (UTC)
This article is rated Start-class on Wikipedia's
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Everyone who eats in restaurant or prepares his/her own meal should notice there are many variations of the same dish by different chefs. Sometimes it is hard to tell what is the signature of a dish. e.g. if you take out the allergenic peanuts, can the dish still be called Kung pao chicken anymore. For example, a chicken-less Kung Pao chicken does not make sense. The chicken part is obvious in the name. If you replace chicken with pork, can you called it Kung pao pork instead? However, does a peanut-less Kung Pao Chicken make sense? Another example: if you don't stir fry the dish but simmer the same ingredients like a stew, can you still call it kung pao? What are the "must have" in the dish before the dish's variations lose their identity? This kind of signature information is often missing in almost all cookbooks. Kowloonese 18:13, May 23, 2005 (UTC)
Heck it doesn't even need the chicken (or other meat) sometimes. A company by the name if SimplyAsia made instant noodles accompanied with just the sauce. --—Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.132.22.219 ( talk • contribs)
Recipes doesn't belong in Wikipedia, as I understand it, but should be included in the wiki cookbok instead. Once there, strange things like trying to flambé with 15 % alcohol, or at all using Shaoxing wine in Sichuan, can be dealt with. Without mercy ;) Berox 22:48, 9 March 2006 (UTC)
Two corrections I'm making. First, the removal of Sichuan peppercorns from the recipe has nothing to do with "Western tastes" and everything to do with the fact that, until 2005, it was illegal to import them to the U.S. because they could carry a disease that would harm citrus crops (check the entry for Sichuan peppercorns). Second, the reference to Chernobyl chicken is a misreading of the Jargon file--while Chernobyl chicken is described in the laser chicken entry (which is appropriately in reference to Kung Pao), the former does not actually describe kung pao chicken, but lemon chicken. Junkmale 17:28, 11 April 2006 (UTC)
Badagnani- nice work ordering it all under two main headings. I think this gives the article much needed structure. In my last edit, I've placed the "westernized version" first, just because most english language speakers looking at this entry will be used to the Kung Pao version. Also just tightened some phrasing. All in all it's looking a lot better. Djwatson 12:54, 4 May 2006 (UTC)
What does it mean that the peanuts are "roasted in a sweet batter"? That doesn't make sense. The peanuts I've seen in kung pao are just peanuts, not coated in any kind of batter. Do you mean they're fried like tempura? That's strange as I've never seen kung pao made in this way. Can you please explain? Badagnani 17:29, 9 May 2006 (UTC)
Thanks -- a scan of various kung pao chicken recipes online shows that the peanuts are always added at the very end of the cooking, the opposite of what that editor stated. Badagnani 01:37, 10 May 2006 (UTC)
The preparation section of this page does not mention using Hoisin sauce. Also, the page on Hoisin sauce does not mention any use in Kung Pao chicken. Also, this page warns against using Hoisin sauce in Kung Pao chicken. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/my_recipe_box/review/0,1973,FOOD_9919_24748,00.html .
If the text here has a similarity to another online article about Kung Pao chicken, the explanation is most likely that that website copied from the Wikipedia article's text, as is so often the case. Scan the edit history and you'll clearly see this. Badagnani 00:56, 14 November 2006 (UTC)
I had to write here as the "Edit summary (Briefly describe the changes you have made)" box has a limit and can't write too long there. Multiple corrections & additions:- corrected wrong Mandarin PinYin, Added 2 types of Cantonese PinYin, Added photo for Chinese version of Gong Bao Chicken, swapped position of Western and SiChuan version (since it is a Chinese dish, SiChuan version should be explained 1st), added the fact that cashew nuts are also used besides peanuts, all external links and references are grouped into the “References” section at the bottom, and other changes. Michelle Saw 03:10, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
The article mentions two natives types of chilli: cháo tiān jiāo ( 朝 天 椒) and qī xīng jiāo ( 七 星 椒). After some research, it seems that the former is a long, slim type, perhaps the one typically sold in Chinese supermarkts while the second is shaped like a cone. I also think these are identical to the chillies referred to in cookbooks as "facing heaven" and "seven stars", though the former is described "plump" in Fuchsia Dunlops "Land of Plenty" Sichuan cookbook. Is this right?
A related Chinese Chilli question: I keep hearing about "tien tsin" chillies, e.g., here: http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeystientsin.html. Are these related to any of the two, or are they a third type? How would "tien tsin", obviously an outdated transcription, be written in Chinese logograms? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 88.73.20.145 ( talk) 01:34, 5 February 2007 (UTC).
I was recently in China, and had Kung Pao chicken in Shanghai at a Sichuan restaurant highly recommended to me by a professor originally from Sichuan province, and took a photo of the dish I was served.
Looking at this article, I was a bit surprised at how different the photo of the "traditional dish" appears. The major ingredients look the same (chicken, peanuts, onions, red chilis), but the overall colors look quite different, as do the type of onions, the amount of sauce, etcetera. How certain are we that this photo is representative of the "authentic" dish as served in Sichuan?
If there is any doubt, I would be happy to contribute my photo linked to above to Wikipedia. As I mentioned, I have good reason to believe it was authentic - it was served at a Sichuan restaurant in Shanghai recommended to me by a Sichuan professor as one of the best Sichuan restaurants in town, and one of the students who accompanied me was from Sichuan herself and pointed it out specifically as a famous dish.
—Steven G. Johnson ( talk) 00:04, 17 July 2008 (UTC)
The "in popular culture" section of this article is not only non-encyclopedic but an insult to the rest of this article. It ought to be removed -- but I recognize the need for prior discussion before doing such. Thoughts? – moonty ( talk) ( contribs) 04:37, 30 July 2008 (UTC)
If the dish is named after his title (宮保), how did the 保 (to protect) change into 爆 (to explode)? I think this information should be added for completeness. [And I'd like to know too...] Jbradfor ( talk) 18:19, 19 August 2008 (UTC)
Hi there, I'm new to editing Wikipedia so forgive me if I don't use the proper formatting. 爆 is correct according to my Chinese instructor. According to her, this character refers to the reaction of the hot oil when the meat (which has a lot of water in it) is thrown in. The result is indeed quite explosive, especially if you're cooking at the right temperature. That having been said, it could be a regional thing. My instructor is a native Beijinger, and somebody from a different part of China may have a different opinion. -Sebastian (no account yet) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.193.54.62 ( talk) 17:10, 23 May 2012 (UTC)
Please explain this blanking. Badagnani ( talk) 03:01, 18 September 2008 (UTC)
There are spelling variations. Did you actually do searches before removing the alternate spellings? I'd like to see evidence first. Badagnani ( talk) 03:46, 18 September 2008 (UTC)
Has anyone else ever heard of this? Growing up in the state of RI, in America, I remember this dish very well. It was similar to Kung Pao Chicken. I never had it but my father did often. It was a Sichuan dish, very spicy and finished off with peanuts. But it wasn't just a 1980's or a RI name for Kung Pao Chicken, as Kung Pao Chicken was also offered on the same section of the menu. I thought it should get a mention on the main American Chinese cuisine page, if not it's own page but I can't seem to find much information about it on-line. Given the similarities of the two dishes, I thought that this might be a good place to ask. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 4.254.83.148 ( talk) 17:37, 23 September 2010 (UTC)
This article: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/23/dining/23gong.html refutes the Sichuan origins (indicating that it came from somewhere else originally, but spread from Sichuan to the Western world, hence why many people think it came from there), and also indicates that the authentic dish should not have nuts. Thoughts? Sources for the opposite viewpoint? Carychan ( talk) 04:53, 3 December 2010 (UTC)
Perhaps we should start a section that debates the origin of the dish. I think if you read they NY Times article closely they aren't refuting that it came from Sichuan with solid research, rather they are quoting a knowledgeable native of Guizhou province that asserts that Kungpao chicken is from his area rather than Sichuan. I just looked at the Chinese version of Wikipedia on Baidu and they have three main theories about where the dish came from. 1st, made in Guizhou and Ding Baozhen would ask his cooks in areas he was stationed to make it. 2nd, that it is from Sichuan and he really loved it when he mingled with common people so they named it after him. 3rd that he was eating a spicy chicken dish (la zi ji)while in Sichuan and the cook put peanuts in it, and Ding Baozhen asked for it to be made like that and the dish evolved into different forms. Leeidiot008 ( talk) 07:11, 3 December 2010 (UTC)
You're right, "refutes" is too strong, I should have said something like "debates." I'll see if I can find any more sources. I think adding a section with this information would be an excellent idea, but my Chinese is only so-so. Would you like to take a stab at it? :) Carychan ( talk) 08:20, 9 December 2010 (UTC)
Hello fellow Wikipedians,
I have just modified one external link on Kung Pao chicken. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
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(last update: 5 June 2024).
Cheers.— cyberbot II Talk to my owner:Online 09:41, 1 April 2016 (UTC)
The article cites the NPR article and mentions a cooking technique called Hongbao, or "Fast-fr[ying]". Can anyone find out what it actually was in Chinese? -- Artoria 2e5 contrib 01:22, 5 October 2017 (UTC)
I was also wondering about variants including cashew instead of peanut. The UK website for LKK includes cashews in their recipe [1] (also bell peppers and celery). Their USA website includes several King Pao recipes [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] and they all use peanuts every time. (I also notice in the section above Talk:Kung Pao chicken#Edited on 21 Jan 2007 user Michelle Saw mentioned cashews too.) I thought it might be a UK thing but recipes for Kung Pao from the BBC and Kung Pao from Jamie Oliver and others [7] [8] all use peanuts too. I found an article from the Guardian Kung Pao recipe with cashews as an option.
An article from seriouseats.com says peanuts or Kung Pao with no nuts at all is more traditional. The article ends with one opinion that mentions cashews and explains them as a more expensive substitute for peanut if you can afford them. -- 109.76.203.103 ( talk) 05:01, 5 February 2021 (UTC)
Isn't there often a coating (consisting of cornstarch, egg, etc.) to the chicken or tofu? 173.88.246.138 ( talk) 00:28, 8 October 2021 (UTC)