Ultimate General Tso's chicken

Cut the chicken into two inch chunks, big enough that they do not dry out.

Beat the egg whites with the dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and vodka until frothy.

Pour out about half the marinade and reserve it for the breading; whisk the cornstarch and baking soda into the other half until no lumps remain.

Marinate the chicken at room temperature 30 minutes, no longer or it over tenderizes.

Whisk the flour, cornstarch, salt, wheat dextrin and baking powder together in a large bowl.

Re-whip the reserved marinade until frothy and whisk about half of it into the dry breading to make clumps and pebbles.

Shake the excess moisture off the chicken, drop it into the breading and toss rather than massage it.

Heat about a quart of oil in a wok to about 375 Fahrenheit and shallow fry the chicken in batches, keeping the temperature high.

Land the fried chicken on paper towel on a rack in a rimmed baking sheet, then move it onto the bare rack.

Hold in a low 200 Fahrenheit oven to keep it warm and crisp.

Cut a big swath of pithless orange peel, slice it into tiny thin strips, and juice the orange.

Pre-combine the rice wine vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, chicken stock, honey, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, cornstarch and sugar and whisk.

Take a tablespoon or two of the frying oil and grate the frozen ginger into it, then crush in the garlic.

Add the dried Chinese chilies, the orange peel and the scallion whites and toss in the dry heat.

Add the liquid; it thickens immediately. Add the sliced scallion greens.

Toss the chicken through carefully, since the sauce is basically boiling sugar.

Garnish with scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.

Variation: add chili oil to the sauce for heat throughout rather than only infused from the chilies.