What Is “Authentic” Food Anyway? The Case of General Tso’s Chicken

We Americans readily and eagerly enjoy foods we believe to be from other cultures. But there’s the sticky problem that so many of these dishes we enjoy have never been served in the countries from which they are said to have originated!

It’s pretty clear that General Tso’s Chicken is not something you would ever find in China. But just because General Tso’s Chicken may not be an authentic Chinese recipe, does not mean it should be discarded and disregarded. (For a bit of background, be sure to watch the documentary The Search for General Tso. While I cannot vouch for every claim in it, we very much enjoyed it, and there’s a lot of worthwhile background in the film.)

There is an additional piece to the story of General Tso’s Chicken, as well as of any number of other dishes that we enjoy, which are said to have come from other places.

Humans have always been on the move. We have migrated over land and over sea, often to escape persecution or poverty or violence or war. And when we settle somewhere new, the ingredients are different, the climate is different, life is different. And for all but the very most recent slice of time, you couldn’t just order a favorite spice online to make your food taste like home.

Thus we have the very real and very authentic immigrant experience, and one of the ways it manifests itself is how people adapt their treasured recipes and flavors to a new place with different ingredients, experiences, and opportunities.

After watching The Search for General Tso, of course we wanted to make it, and so began the search online for various interpretations. We found one on allrecipes.com, and here’s a rewritten version that organizes the steps better, and also makes a few changes.

Be warned that this recipe doesn’t have any steps that are particularly challenging, but it is a lot of work. So we always make a double batch to have leftovers for another dinner and for lunches to take to work, even though it loses its crispiness after the first serving.

General Tso’s Chicken

Prep bowl #1

• 3-4 scallions chopped into ½-inch lengths

• 2 garlic cloves minced or put through a press

• 6 dried whole red chilis (Asian if you can find them)

• Zest from 1 orange, removed in thick strips with a vegetable peeler

Prep bowl #2

• ¼-⅓ cup sugar

• 1-2 Tablespoons chopped ginger (not grated, which gets lost in the finished dish)

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

Prep measuring cup (or anything with a spout)

• 4 Tablespoons chicken broth

• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

• ⅓ cup soy sauce

• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 Tablespoon peanut oil

Chicken

• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into ½-inch cubes

• 1 egg beaten

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• Pinch white pepper

• 1 cup cornstarch, or more as needed

1-2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Prep bowl #3 (to be mixed just before using)

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• ¼ cup water

Optional: previously cooked, steamed or roasted vegetables such as broccoli, sugar snap peas, or cauliflower

In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the egg, salt, sugar, white pepper. Toss with cornstarch, ¼ cup at a time, until well-coated. (This is most easily accomplished with two people – one tossing the chicken and the other adding ¼ cup of cornstarch at a time.)

Heat 1-2 cups of vegetable oil in a wok or deep skillet to about 375°F. Drop chicken pieces into the oil in batches so as not to crowd the pan. Fry until golden brown and they begin to float, about 3 minutes. Remove from oil and allow to cool while frying the next batch. Once all the chicken has been fried, re-fry the pieces a second time, again in batches, until golden brown, about 2 minutes more per batch. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Pour off all but 2-3 Tablespoons of oil from the wok. Add the contents of prep bowl #1 and cook for a minute or two until the garlic begins to brown and the chilis brighten. Add the contents of prep bowl #2, bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes. Dissolve the 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in ¼ cup water, stir into the boiling sauce, and allow to thicken for about a minute.

Add chicken and optional vegetables and mix thoroughly for a minute to combine and warm through. Serve with rice.