The Real Person Who Inspired Kung Pao Chicken – Mashed

As noted by MSN, Kung Pao chicken is said to have been named after a "19th-century Qin Dynasty official and governor of Sichuan Province" named Ding Baozhen. The name hails from "gong bao," which means Palace Guardian. Supposedly, the progenitor of kung pao chicken was one of his favorite meals. The origins of the dish, though and of Ding's reverence for it are often up for debate.

NPR states that it's unclear whether Baozhen ate the dish as a child before bringing it to Sichuan, or if he enjoyed it at a local restaurant. TheLos Angeles Times notes that he had a "penchant for stir-fried chicken ... [and] loved to eat it and often served it to guests." It is said that later in Ding's life, his chefs added "handfuls of dried chile and Sichuan pepper and a pleasing chord of sugar and vinegar," which is an approximation of the kung pao chicken of today.

Wu Maozhao a chef and cookbook author spoke with the LA Times, stating, "I think we can assume that the dish was originally based on Guizhou chicken with chiles, and acquired its name later because of Dig's fame." Guizhou chicken is in reference to a "Guizhou folk dish," which is a stew made of chicken, ciba chiles, and a sweet flour sauce.

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The Real Person Who Inspired Kung Pao Chicken - Mashed