I'd appreciate advice. I have this good-sounding recipe for the above
dish (sorry, can't copy it, since it's copyrighted).
I've eaten the dish in restaurants but have never cooked it.

I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried pepper
pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh. What do they
mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food, should I reduce the
number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.

Dora
--

In article >,
"limey" > wrote:

> I'd appreciate advice. I have this good-sounding recipe for the above
> dish (sorry, can't copy it, since it's copyrighted).

Oh please.
I can google for at least 100 or more recipes!

> I've eaten the dish in restaurants but have never cooked it.
>
> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried pepper
> pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh. What do they
> mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food, should I reduce the
> number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.
>
> Dora

If you don't like hot foods, why are you making this recipe?
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

On Jun 3, 9:38 am, "limey" > wrote:
[snip]
> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried pepper
> pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh. What do they
> mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food, should I reduce the
> number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.

Look for small, narrow, red peppers. Dried. Often in cellophane
packs. Often with a lot of seeds and flakes visible in the package.
I don't believe there is a standard name but it'll be something along
the lines of "dried red chile pods" or "dried chile peppers."
Standard ingredient for spicy Chinese dishes. -aem

The others have pretty much hit the nail on the head as to where to find
these lovlies. I believe I've seen them by the name 'japones' on them as
well, kept in the fresh produce section in celaphane bags.

As far as the heat goes, they can be very hot. If you want to give it a go,
I would limit it to one pepper to start off with. Break it into a few
pieces (either use utensils, or wear gloves if you have sensitive skin), and
add them close to the end of cooking. The longer they cook, the hotter they
will get.

Personally, I love 'em.

Hope that helps.
-Glasswalker

8<SNIP>8
> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried pepper
> pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh. What do they
> mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food, should I reduce the
> number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.
>
> Dora
8<SNIP>8

>This is a fairly good recipe for Kong Pao Chicken. You really
>need to use the Chinese black vinegar (not any of the wine or red
>rice vinegars). The black vinegar is probably the most important
>flavor component of this dish.
>
>http://chinesefood.about.com/od/poul...paodeepfry.htm

The only problem with that recipe is the use of chicken breast. It
should be thigh and/or leg meat.

aem wrote:
"limey" wrote:
> [snip]
>> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried
>> pepper pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh.
>> What do they mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food,
>> should I reduce the number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.
>
> Look for small, narrow, red peppers. Dried. Often in cellophane
> packs. Often with a lot of seeds and flakes visible in the package.
> I don't believe there is a standard name but it'll be something along
> the lines of "dried red chile pods" or "dried chile peppers."
> Standard ingredient for spicy Chinese dishes. -aem

Thank you! - Dora

Omelet wrote:
> In article >,
> "limey" > wrote:
>
>> I'd appreciate advice. I have this good-sounding recipe for the
>> above dish (sorry, can't copy it, since it's copyrighted).
>
> Oh please.
> I can google for at least 100 or more recipes!
>
>> I've eaten the dish in restaurants but have never cooked it.
>>
>> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried
>> pepper pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh.
>> What do they mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food,
>> should I reduce the number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.
>>
>> Dora
>
> If you don't like hot foods, why are you making this recipe?

Boy, Om, you're having a bad day today.

Dora

Glasswalker wrote:
> The others have pretty much hit the nail on the head as to where to find
> these lovlies. I believe I've seen them by the name 'japones' on them
> as well, kept in the fresh produce section in celaphane bags.
>
> As far as the heat goes, they can be very hot. If you want to give it a
> go, I would limit it to one pepper to start off with. Break it into a
> few pieces (either use utensils, or wear gloves if you have sensitive
> skin), and add them close to the end of cooking. The longer they cook,
> the hotter they will get.
>
> Personally, I love 'em.
>
> Hope that helps.
> -Glasswalker
>
> 8<SNIP>8
>> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried
>> pepper pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh. What
>> do they mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food, should I
>> reduce the number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.
>>
>> Dora
> 8<SNIP>8


Yep, you want dried chile de arbol, or japones, or "jap pappers". Should
be able to find them in cello bags near the produce or near the Mexican
food.

Glasswalker wrote:
> The others have pretty much hit the nail on the head as to where to
> find these lovlies. I believe I've seen them by the name 'japones'
> on them as well, kept in the fresh produce section in celaphane bags.
>
> As far as the heat goes, they can be very hot. If you want to give
> it a go, I would limit it to one pepper to start off with. Break it
> into a few pieces (either use utensils, or wear gloves if you have
> sensitive skin), and add them close to the end of cooking. The
> longer they cook, the hotter they will get.
>
> Personally, I love 'em.
>
> Hope that helps.
> -Glasswalker

Great advice - thanks! One is what I'll try at first.

Dora

Steve Wertz wrote:
, limey wrote:
>
>> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried
>> pepper pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh.
>> What do they mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food,
>> should I reduce the number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.
>
> Look for chili de arbol in the Mexican section, or preferably,
> any of the enlongated dried red peppers in Chinese, Vietnamese,
> or Korean grocers. They're about 2-4" long, and flat with stems.
> The redder the better. The pale ones will be older.
>
> You canNOT substitute fresh peppers for this dish.
>
> This is a fairly good recipe for Kong Pao Chicken. You really
> need to use the Chinese black vinegar (not any of the wine or red
> rice vinegars). The black vinegar is probably the most important
> flavor component of this dish.
>
> http://chinesefood.about.com/od/poul...paodeepfry.htm
>
> -sw

Thanks, Steve (recipe saved) and for the picture. They're new to me.

>
>Look for small, narrow, red peppers. Dried.

At my local store they are hanging on racks near the onions and
garlic.

Now I want some General Tso.

Steve Wertz wrote:
>
> Oh - another thing about that recipe I quoted was it's for "Kung
> Pao", not "General Tso's".
>
> Duh.

LOL - I did notice! So now I have two good recipes.

Dora

"Steve Wertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:06:06 GMT, Glasswalker wrote:
>
> You're really not supposed to break up the peppers - they're to
> be used whole. Breaking them up will just make the dish hotter.
>
> -sw

Ouch! You're right. Wasn't thinking properly.
I tend to use one or two, but break them up... I like it spicy.

Sorry about that.
-Glasswalker-

limey > wrote:

> I'd appreciate advice. I have this good-sounding recipe for the above
> dish (sorry, can't copy it, since it's copyrighted).

An ingredient list cannot be copyrighted, so you can safely post it.

> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried pepper
> pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh. What do they
> mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food, should I reduce the
> number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.

The peppers in question are called "la jiao" or "tien tsin". They
indeed should be dried. If you cannot find them in an Asian grocery,
you can always order them from an online source, for example from
Penzeys et al.

Here is Fuchsia Dunlop's recipe:
<http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2007/02/recipe-fuchsia-dunlops-general.html>
and here is a video of her making it:
<http://www.seriouseats.com/2007/02/fuchsia-dunlops-general-tsos-c.html>.

Victor

In article >,
"limey" > wrote:

> Omelet wrote:
> > In article >,
> > "limey" > wrote:
> >
> >> I'd appreciate advice. I have this good-sounding recipe for the
> >> above dish (sorry, can't copy it, since it's copyrighted).
> >
> > Oh please.
> > I can google for at least 100 or more recipes!
> >
> >> I've eaten the dish in restaurants but have never cooked it.
> >>
> >> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried
> >> pepper pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh.
> >> What do they mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food,
> >> should I reduce the number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.
> >>
> >> Dora
> >
> > If you don't like hot foods, why are you making this recipe?
>
> Boy, Om, you're having a bad day today.
>
> Dora

Sorry.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

"limey" > wrote in message
...
> Glasswalker wrote:
>> >> As far as the heat goes, they can be very hot. If you want to give
>> it a go, I would limit it to one pepper to start off with. Break it
>> into a few pieces (either use utensils, or wear gloves if you have
>> sensitive skin), and add them close to the end of cooking. The
>> longer they cook, the hotter they will get.

Everything Glasswalker says is exactly right. But I think a lot of the
pepper's heat is especially concentrated in the seeds. I sometimes like to
cook a couple of the whole unopened pods in hot (but not ultra hot) oil
until they reach a deep red color, then remove them. That way I get a lot
of the flavor but without as much of the "heat". To get more heat, I just
break open one (or more) of the pods while cooking. Another way is to break
open some pods before cooking, discard the seeds, and just cook the pod
itself.

Anon

"limey" > wrote in message
...
>
> I'd appreciate advice. I have this good-sounding recipe for the above
> dish (sorry, can't copy it, since it's copyrighted).
> I've eaten the dish in restaurants but have never cooked it.
>
> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried pepper
> pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh. What do they
> mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food, should I reduce the
> number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.


Of course you can reduce the pepper pods. It's a matter of taste. 5 pods
sounds like it would be pretty spicy. I'd start with maybe 1 or possibly 2
and see how you like it. Then add or reduce the next time you make it. You
can find the peppers almost anywhere they are often sold dried and tied up
in bundles but if you can't then just use the red pepper flake from the jar.
It's the same stuff. About 1/2 teaspoon would equal one pod. Remember that
the seeds have more heat than the flesh.

I've had General Tso's served every which way from mild to delirium inducing
comas complete with coyote spirit hallucinations. It's all good. If you
plan to make it for company, I'd suggest a test batch prior to the final
production.

Paul

Steve Wertz wrote:
> On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:06:06 GMT, Glasswalker wrote:
>
>> As far as the heat goes, they can be very hot. If you want to give it a go,
>> I would limit it to one pepper to start off with. Break it into a few
>> pieces (either use utensils, or wear gloves if you have sensitive skin), and
>> add them close to the end of cooking. The longer they cook, the hotter they
>> will get.
>
> You're really not supposed to break up the peppers - they're to
> be used whole. Breaking them up will just make the dish hotter.
>
> -sw
>
>
Thanks for that tip; I had no idea that the amount of heat could be
controlled that way.

On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:54:09 GMT, Mitch <Mitch@...> wrote:

>
>>
>>Look for small, narrow, red peppers. Dried.
>
>At my local store they are hanging on racks near the onions and
>garlic.
>
>Now I want some General Tso.

http://www.ironq.com/iron_chef_general_tso_s_sauce.html

Iron Chef brand General Tso's sauce, (Sold in southeast at Publix )
boneless skinless chicken thighs in covered dish. I cut thighs into 1
inch cubes prior to cooking. Tastes better than what you get at a lot
of Chinese restaurants I pre-bake for about 20 minutes then pour out
grease prior to adding sauce..
Chuck (in SC)

"anon" > wrote in message
rio.net...
>
> Everything Glasswalker says is exactly right. But I think a lot of the
> pepper's heat is especially concentrated in the seeds. I sometimes like
> to cook a couple of the whole unopened pods in hot (but not ultra hot) oil
> until they reach a deep red color, then remove them. That way I get a lot
> of the flavor but without as much of the "heat". To get more heat, I
> just break open one (or more) of the pods while cooking. Another way is
> to break open some pods before cooking, discard the seeds, and just cook
> the pod itself.
>
> Anon
Of course, you could always do what I did at the best Chinese restaurant
ever. Ask for a little bowl of them and eat them as a side with the meal.
Along with whatever had been cooked in the dish.

-Glasswalker-

Glasswalker wrote on Mon, 04 Jun 2007 15:11:17 GMT:

G> "anon" > wrote in message
G> rio.net...
??>>
??>> Everything Glasswalker says is exactly right. But I think
??>> a lot of the pepper's heat is especially concentrated in
??>> the seeds. I sometimes like to cook a couple of the whole
??>> unopened pods in hot (but not ultra hot) oil until they
??>> reach a deep red color, then remove them. That way I get
??>> a lot of the flavor but without as much of the "heat".
??>> To get more heat, I just break open one (or more) of the
??>> pods while cooking. Another way is to break open some
??>> pods before cooking, discard the seeds, and just cook the
??>> pod itself.
??>>
??>> Anon
G> Of course, you could always do what I did at the best
G> Chinese restaurant ever. Ask for a little bowl of them and
G> eat them as a side with the meal. Along with whatever had
G> been cooked in the dish.

Some Chinese restaurants, especially buffets, have bottles of
Siracha (you know,the one with rooster) hot sauce. I like to
put a little in hot and sour soup, which is often on the mild
side!

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"limey" > wrote in message
...
>
> I'd appreciate advice. I have this good-sounding recipe for the above
> dish (sorry, can't copy it, since it's copyrighted).
> I've eaten the dish in restaurants but have never cooked it.
>
> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried pepper
> pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh. What do they
> mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food, should I reduce the
> number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.
>
Find them as dried Chile Japones or dried Japanese red chiles. (They may
look very similar to the De Arbol chile but the De Arbol chiles are often
more bitter in taste.) Usually these are found in the spices aisle in small
plastic bag packaging, rather than the produce section. The spice bottles
sold as Crushed Red Chiles are effectively the exact same thing, except that
the peppers have been crushed--seeds and all--rather than remaining whole.

To reduce the heat, just use one or two pepper pods, as they are usually
used whole during the cooking process, rather than crushed or chopped up. If
using the Crushed Red Chiles, use a very small amount, as little as 1/16 tsp
to at most, 1/8 tsp.

On Jun 3, 10:38 am, "limey" > wrote:
> I'd appreciate advice. I have this good-sounding recipe for the above
> dish (sorry, can't copy it, since it's copyrighted).
> I've eaten the dish in restaurants but have never cooked it.
>
> I know zilch about hot peppers. The recipe calls for "five dried pepper
> pods". Those hot peppers I see in the market are fresh. What do they
> mean? And since I don't care for super-hot food, should I reduce the
> number of "pepper pods"? Thanks.

In the old days (pre internet), I used to ask, "Who is General Tso,
and how did he come to have a chicken dish named after him."
>
> Dora
> --
>

--Bryan

On 2007-06-04, Food Snob > wrote:

> In the old days (pre internet), I used to ask, "Who is General Tso,
> and how did he come to have a chicken dish named after him."

So, what'd you come up with?

nb

Steve Wertz wrote:
> On Sun, 03 Jun 2007 11:09:57 -0700, Abe wrote:
>
>>> This is a fairly good recipe for Kong Pao Chicken. You really
>>> need to use the Chinese black vinegar (not any of the wine or red
>>> rice vinegars). The black vinegar is probably the most important
>>> flavor component of this dish.
>>>
>>> http://chinesefood.about.com/od/poul...paodeepfry.htm
>> The only problem with that recipe is the use of chicken breast. It
>> should be thigh and/or leg meat.
>
> Oh - another thing about that recipe I quoted was it's for "Kung
> Pao", not "General Tso's".
>
> Duh.
>
> Fuscia Dunlop has the General Tso's Chicken recipe that can't be
> beat. I use black vinegar for this as well.
>
> <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/magazine/04food.t.html?ex=1328245200&en=166828055e4a18df&ei =5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss>
>
> -sw

I don't usually deep fry because of the mess. The excellent little mom &
pop place in my town makes a version like that that isn't sweet.

On Jun 4, 5:27 pm, notbob > wrote:
> On 2007-06-04, Food Snob > wrote:
>
> > In the old days (pre internet), I used to ask, "Who is General Tso,
> > and how did he come to have a chicken dish named after him."
>
> So, what'd you come up with?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Tso's_chicken
>
> nb

--Bryan

Food Snob wrote:
notbob wrote:
Food Snob wrote:
>>
>>> In the old days (pre internet), I used to ask, "Who is General Tso,
>>> and how did he come to have a chicken dish named after him."
>>
>> So, what'd you come up with?
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Tso's_chicken
>
> --Bryan

Thanks for the reference, Bryan. At the very end of the article there
are a couple of recipes. By coincidence, the recipe by S. John Ross is
the very one which triggered all my questions when I started the thread.
Also, Steve Wertz and Victor Sack referred me to the article and recipe
by Fuschia Dunlop, of the NYT. (Thanks you too, Victor, for the video
link.)

There's a big difference between the two recipes - The John Ross
ingredients are shorter and simpler but it's obvious that Fuschia's is
much more authentic.

Thanks to everyone. I know a lot more than I did when I posed the
questions - and where to look for the "dried pepper pods"! As a
start, I'll try a little dried pepper flakes, then use "anon's" tip
about just using the whole pod, then who knows - I'll be breaking them
up and using the seeds like the rest of you!

I was struck by my son when he lived in New Mexico - he could shovel in
all that fiery food with the best of them. As an Englishwoman, my taste
buds just shrivelled up watching him. :-(

Dora

In article >,
"limey" > wrote:


> start, I'll try a little dried pepper flakes, then use "anon's" tip
> about just using the whole pod, then who knows - I'll be breaking them
> up and using the seeds like the rest of you!

I like to use the whole pods. My wife doesn't like hot food, so I grab
the pods and cut them into little rings with my fork when served.