May 28, 2010
I have been searching for THE General Tso (Tao) Chicken recipe, and have tried numerous recipes to no avail. This one still was not quite it, but with some changes it was the closest I've come yet. I'd give it a 5, but I had to modify the recipe significantly - still though, the results were DELICIOUS. Perhaps it isn't fair to take off a star if I didn't even follow the recipe exactly, but I wanted to avoid the negative results other reviewers had. Here are my changes: reduce vinegar to 3 Tbsp and ketchup to 2 Tbsp, to get rid of the sour and ketchupy tastes. Reduce ginger to about 1 Tbsp (that's just personal preference) and add a couple of cloves of garlic (this is the first General Tso's chicken recipe I've seen that didn't have garlic). Increase soy sauce to 1/4 cup. Add 1/4 cup of sherry. And I like it hot, so I added a Tbsp or so crushed red pepper and a few red chiles. Also, the oyster sauce is important - don't skip that ingredient. I stir-fried broccoli and sugar snap peas with the green onions and served on white rice. Like I said it still wasn't exactly restaurant quality but it was very close. My gf and I were VERY happy with how it turned out. EDIT: To the people complaining about the batter - I've found the chicken is better baked and MUCH EASIER. Marinate for ~3 hrs in sriracha, soy, and garlic powder. Bake covered for 10 minutes at 400, then another 15-20 at 350. Don't let it get too dry. This can result in a lot of extra sauce, so make plenty of rice.
—RDean
