Making Kung Pao Chicken black may not be a standard preparation for this dish, as traditional Kung Pao Chicken is typically a reddish-brown color due to the use of soy sauce, dark soy sauce, or chili sauce in the marinade and sauce. However, if you want to achieve a darker color for your Kung Pao Chicken, you can try the following tips:
1. Dark Soy Sauce: Replace or supplement some of the regular soy sauce in the recipe with dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce has a thicker consistency and a richer, darker color, which can help darken the overall appearance of the dish.
2. Black Bean Sauce: Consider adding a small amount of black bean sauce to the marinade or sauce. Black bean sauce has a dark color and imparts a unique umami flavor that can complement the dish.
3. Molasses or Dark Brown Sugar: You can add a small amount of molasses or dark brown sugar to the sauce to darken the color and add some depth of flavor.
4. Charred or Darkened Ingredients: You can slightly char or sear some of the ingredients before adding them to the dish. For example, you can briefly char the dried red chilies or the Sichuan peppercorns in a hot, dry pan before including them in the recipe.
5. Adjust the Cooking Time: Cook the ingredients a little longer to develop more caramelization and a darker color. However, be careful not to overcook the chicken or vegetables, as they may become dry.
6. Food Coloring (Optional): While not a traditional method, if you want to achieve a very dark color, you could add a small amount of black food coloring. However, this is not recommended for those who prefer to avoid artificial additives.
Keep in mind that the flavor and authenticity of Kung Pao Chicken might be affected by some of these modifications. It's always essential to balance the color alterations with maintaining the authentic taste and flavor profile of the dish.
Before trying these modifications, I recommend checking with your cooking instructor or researching more about the specific technique they used to achieve the black appearance. They might have had their unique way of making it black, and it's always good to get more information if possible.