Andrew Zimmern Cooks: Chengdu Chicken with Black Beans, Chiles & Peanuts

Ingredients

• 20 to 24 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast and thigh meat, diced
• 3 tablespoons rice wine or sake
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons toban djan (fermented chile bean paste)
• 1/3 cup shelled peanuts, toasted in a skillet
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons Szechuan peppercorns, crushed
• 12 dried whole Chinese chiles (tsin-tsin chiles or Mexican arbols work well)
• 1 tablespoon ginger, sliced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, sliced
• 4 tablespoons peanut oil
• 4 tablespoons whole fermented Chinese black beans
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons black vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 cup scallions, chopped
• Cooked white rice, for serving