Kung Pao chicken

Marinate chicken thigh in soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, a little oil, cornstarch, salt and MSG.

Heat the wok until very hot, add oil and stir-fry the chicken (about a pound at once on a high-output outdoor burner).

Variation: on a home burner, stir-fry a half pound down to a quarter pound at a time so it sears rather than steams; move each batch and the vegetables to a bowl, wiping and reheating the wok between, then return everything to the wok and add the sauce.

Once the chicken is cooked, add sliced garlic, slivered ginger and Sichuan peppercorn ground in a mortar and pestle; stir until fragrant.

Add sliced chilies, dried chilies, scallions and roasted peanuts.

Add the sauce of light and dark soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, honey, Chinese black vinegar and a little cornstarch, and toss to coat.

Wipe out the wok with a little deglazing, scraping with the wok spatula (a bamboo wok brush is the usual tool).