This dish is derived from the name of a late Qing Dynasty official, Ding Baozhen (1820–86), who became Gong Bao, or palatial guardian, and was given the title Kung Pao, or Kung Po. The chicken is cooked with the authentic flavourings of Sichuan peppercorns and fresh, boiled peanuts. Purists would use authentic Sichuan chillies, which are small and fiery, but here we use chilli bean paste, dou banjiang, to g
