Binging with Babish: Kung Pao Chicken from Seinfeld

Order the Babish Wok right here! amzn.to/2XXLpNO
This week, we're returning to the fictional land of New York City, where a sweating George Costanza proudly exclaims (in the third person) that he likes his chicken spicy. That chicken? Kung pao, a Chinese-American take on a traditional spicy Szechuan dish. I think. Either way, it's super-good, and warrants a couple practice runs!
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Recipe: www.bingingwithbabish.com/rec...
Music: "XXV" by Broke for Free
/ broke-for-free
My playlist of preferred cooking tunes, Bangers with Babish!
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[@babishculinaryuniverse]

The best, Jerry. The best.

[@miltiadisgiannakakis29]

First time early, long time babish viewer. Not that I did the tasting, but man it looked delicious!

[@FARBerserker]

Should this not be under botched by babish? :P

[@AlexVostox]

*Would you kindly to do any camping dishes from "Yuru Camp a.k.a Laid Back Camp"? Thank you kindly.*

[@miltiadisgiannakakis29]

@@FARBerserker it would have been, if he hadn't admitted to getting it wrong in the first place.

[@toasted5275]

yeah

[@Crosshill]

i thought the transition from botched by babish to binging with babish was gonna be more jarring but i landed pretty soft on this one

[@rdgreen1022]

Technically it was from Anime with Alvin

[@dravyn9880]

Profile pic checks out

[@gabrielstrong2186]

Pre-Botched by Babish?

[@MrSplic3r]

Botched-ish by Babish

[@Crosshill]

@@MrSplic3r preemptive unbotching with babish

[@davidt3563]

I love how the mistakes are included. A lot of folks shy away from cooking outside their comfort zone, it's important to remember you are going to make mistakes, but sticking to it and researching will get you where you want to be.

[@JoeyJoJo454]

I guess this way he avoids doing a Botched episode on Kung Pao chicken!

[@gh0style239]

@@JoeyJoJo454 botched episodes are honest mistakes tho, this was just “i made the recipe completely wrong bc ive never done it before” so it makes sense he’d keep going until he got it

[@AirlineFud]

i wish i had this mentality, but throwing away ingredients is like throwing away money to me :(

[@judethenekogamer3651]

I just like watching him and not any if his guest bs like anime with alvin im watching babish not alvin but thats just my take

[@SupremeViola]

@@AirlineFud You can also view it like this: based on his experiments, you now know why it's important that your chicken pieces be small enough, that you have your wok heated to the right temperature, etc. He may have had two bad batches, but it means his myriad viewers can skip some of those mistakes!

[@CHEFPKR]

"There is no failing, only learning." -Kung Fu Panda, probably.

[@adammorrow154]

“There are no accidents” - Master Oogway

[@tibaazher2792]

I thought the same

[@MrDbtx]

@@adammorrow154 it’s still a peach - master oogway

[@brentgilliam1209]

I laughed way too hard at the added "probably." You win the internets for the day.

[@shards1627]

"mmh, monkey" - master oogway

[@TimeBucks]

The imperfectness makes it perfect

[@jojo-bq5nc]

way to steal someone else’s comment👍

[@Elmojomo]

If it was Japanese instead of Chinese, maybe this would be wabi-sabi? Dunno if Chinese culture has a specific term for this type of "beauty through flaws" or not.

[@nicfank]

The pure comedic gold of him knowing full well he made this wrong and just owning it. I love it

[@TonytheTiger313]

Gold, Jerry! Gold!

[@dante2215]

If he didn't make it properly Uncle Roger might have a few words for him...

[@wo3701]

Eh, it's kinda funny

[@rajatbansal1066]

The way he owns his dish and the amount of effort put into this video. Hats off to the team!

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

Eliminating one more participant for Botched with Babish, lol.

[@Ioliar]

@@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley By doing Botched during an episode of Binging. Genius.

[@danielm3835]

Okay

[@katiea2500]

This was great! I know you had mentioned feeling a creative slump....I think showing us the trial and error was a really fun format. Some of the prior videos had felt short and rushed, I think turning these mistakes that were probably kept behind the scenes into content adds a whole new level of depth and connection. I know its a lot more editing, but I think it's going to pay off for you!

[@negate3]

I actually really like this, because it shows what happens when some of the more common mistakes are made.

[@Panama_Red]

Wok tips for babish: 1)pull that center cover/difuser off the burner to turn it into a blue jet of a flame. It gets the Wok way hotter. 2)flip the stove grate over so it makes a cradle to hold wok. I did both last weekend for some stir fry and it worked great. Killer episode, BTW!! Thanks for including the mistakes. Cooking is a learning adventure.

[@KairuHakubi]

for a lot of gas stoves, taking the diffuser off prevents it from lighting. the gas just isn't directed properly i had this idea once to make a little cone to place over the flame to sort of divert it into one concentrated spot, but in the end you simply need a heavy-duty propane burner to use a wok properly.

[@toswingonastar]

I saw that burner tip on J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's channel and it looks absolutely terrifying but effective lol

[@Panama_Red]

@@toswingonastar that's where I picked it up too

[@kellynolen498]

@@KairuHakubi yeah use a lighter or a burning paper that you lit with another burner also just a friendly reminder always remember to always double check the gas especially if your doing weird stuff to the burner head especially if your cooking at nigh if you go to sleep with the house filling with gas you may never wake up

[@KairuHakubi]

@@kellynolen498 oh I hadn't thought of that, I assumed the ignition part was working but the air mixture was all wrong.

[@BugsyFoga]

Whether it’s Calzones or Salty pretzels. George truly knows how he likes his food.

[@oscarm4095]

He finds the pastrami to be the most sensual of all the salted cured meats

[@jamesgoulet2254]

These pretzels are making me thirsty...

[@henrikaugustsson4041]

These pretzels…. ARE MAKING ME THIRSTY!!!!

[@jamesgoulet2254]

@@henrikaugustsson4041 these pretzels are making me… thirsty.

[@phatakesto8075]

even trash can eclairs

[@johncox9868]

I think Babish may have set a record for mistakes. I love how he un-a-Babishly owned it because if you want to make this for yourself you can learn from his mistakes. Thanks Andrew!!

[@nathanh755]

That pun hurt my soul

[@jamestown8398]

Gone is the Babish who lied about the scotch egg.

[@coffeesticks_03]

Still think the record goes to the ube cake roll from the Steven Universe episode...one of my favorites on this channel

[@aceundead4750]

Him getting it right at the end does remove it as a candidate for Botched though

[@PanAndScanBuddy]

Andrew knew he didn't want yo make a Botched by Babish follow up. Also he knew that doing it right was very, very short. So he did a bit of padding.

[@duanevan9791]

One of the BEST cooking videos ever! The way he shows the honest lessons and evolution of the dish are amazing.

[@runmaj]

This is the best video you've ever done. Best format. So great to see you learn thru it. This is the cooking lesson I needed!

[@justinmeyer9797]

The honesty shown here is my favorite part of BwB. We all have failures in the kitchen and won't make something right the first time. Love the perseverance and resulting growth

[@TKID-17105]

There's only one temp when stir-frying- FULL BLAST. Also, when you're tossing everything, do it over the flame. The slightly aerosolized oil will flare off and help develop the wok hei. As others have mentioned, you can invert your grate or remove it and use a ring to get closer to the flame.

[@ralft323]

Hard to believe after over two years watching and loving the show, but this is probably one of my favorites. Loved watching the process to get it right… well done Andrew.

[@davidp2888]

I love how he admits what went wrong, shows us how it went wrong, then keeps working on it until he gets the desired result....with humor! Respect.

[@coolymoody]

I thought he was going to give up and get some Kung Pao takeaway and eat it like George!

[@PowderedToastMan661]

I don't blame you for the apprehension towards heat, but the flame they use for wok cooking is referred to as "breath of the dragon". Awesome show as always. I love the commentary, and the ability to show the mistakes along with the correct way.

[@roetemeteor]

Yep. It really has more to do with deep-frying than it does anything else. There should be more oil than you think you need, and it should be hotter than you think it should be.

[@shards1627]

they also call them jet burners here in the US lol, because they literally sound like 747's in the kitchen

[@comradegarrett1202]

@@shards1627 and for the amount of smoke a hot wok puts off, you'd better have a ventilation system that sounds like a jet engine too if you don't want the sprinklers to go off

[@AB-py6jl]

@@roetemeteor This sounds like something I would read on a fortune cookie lol

[@silentverity4975]

I have a lot of anxiety tied to trauma about messing up while cooking. So while this particular recipe looks a little too scary for me right now, I appreciate you including the failed attempts because it really helps to see that everyone messes up cooking sometimes and I shouldn't have to feel bad with myself if I mess up.

[@funwithfish1507]

You were traumatised by messing up a recipe?

[@silentverity4975]

@@funwithfish1507 I was traumatized by being abused by my abuser. Messing up a recipe resulted in abusive episodes, so it can be traumatic for me still.

[@FabioMoreirathebrazilian]

I still always appreciate when you include the blunders. It reminds us that it won't always be perfect and how to learn from mistakes. Thanks Babby!

[@GayBearBro2]

Two things I learned in wok cooking: always keep the heat up and keep that pan moving. Someday, I'll have a gas burner just for a wok so I can make great dishes nice and easy.

[@keywolf23]

Just get an outdoor gas burner

[@MrStbigelow]

Jet burner! Best thing ever for a wok.

[@GayBearBro2]

@keywolf23 I would, but I live in an apartment and that kind of thing is frowned upon.

[@darwinallisany404]

@@GayBearBro2 i feel your pain :( i just want to get that wok hei edit: you can get similar results inside with a blowtorch but i dont have a fan in my kitchen so I cant do this you should look into it though

[@auggie87]

I live in China and while it is nice to have a stove in my apartment meant for woks, I can't make a simple omelet without overcooking it here haha

[@41rmartin]

Yeah this is why I rarely make Chinese food at home. I have an induction burner and there's a lot I like about it, but if you look up guides on getting the right level of heat for wok stir frying on an induction burner you just get sent to a page that laughs at you for trying.

[@recoil53]

For a _small_ wok set up, get outdoor burners with a 65K BTU output. The real thing in a restaurant is 200K+ BTUs.

[@metaloman88]

​@@recoil53 Chinese kitchens rarely have 65K BTU wok burners, mostly they have regularly sized and powered stoves, with many people using countertop stove tops. They're mostly

[@recoil53]

@@metaloman88 I was talking Chinese restaurant kitchens. You're looking at over 200K BTU. And the set ups that home enthusiasts use to replicate it. Look at Alex French Guy Cooking.

[@kingjamestres]

I watch this Chinese KZbinr who cooks Chinese food on an induction burner and he does an awesome job so its just you man.

[@duckerino5691]

@@kingjamestres plus, there are plenty of Chinese food that doesn't require this kind of high heat set up.

[@sassygoogle]

“Don’t be like George” is advice I think we should all take to heart.

[@Kirakappukeki]

I love that you show all your mistakes and not just the perfect dish every time. Thanks Babby!

[@Sant182]

The loud laugh you hear as soon as George finishes saying "Spicy" cracks me up every time and it's in a lot of episodes

[@cdbsk76]

Glenn Padnick

[@PabloEdvardo]

Please do more videos like this where you show the iterative process. That teaches people so much more than just showing the final version.

[@paversize]

I’m really happy with this episode. I feel like every time I try a new recipe I would always do something a little different. It was great to see a a pros learning process

[@silentofthewind]

I actually loved this episode so much from the improvement between attempts to the final product being GORGEOUS!! I have to try this.

[@BrennanDemarest]

Favorite one so far. It’s the wait to see the final, correctly made dish that kept me. The owning of the mistakes and the learning from each step was also a very refreshing sight.

[@ThomasDeverell]

It's the honesty in production and the wax/wane of seasons. Thank you Babish for being one of us; human, imperfect and procrastinating. We should all being doing this today with pride. "Making mistakes is human" -Ward. We all take short-cuts . R/Desired Paths

[@waheedabdullah6371]

On the day after Valentine's Day, you make Pizza Heart from The Loud House episode, "Missed Connection"

[@lumethecrow]

I think adding the screwups makes the viewers more confident in their cooking. It shows that even people with tons of experience make mistakes, which is comforting and confidence boosting

[@velvetdraws3452]

not to mention it shows what NOT to do

[@andrewjackson5798]

i learn the most from watching skilled people make mistakes and fix them; every one of those mistakes is one i would've made only i don't yet have the skill to diagnose & fix. thank you so much for showing them!

[@williamketelsen2911]

This episode feels like if George costanza was cooking his meal as well as eating it.

[@uhlexseeuh]

haha that's exactly what i was thinking while watching the first half

[@Demagora]

Finally, an episode where my dish comes out just like Babish's!

[@kvf271]

I ❤ that you kept going til you got it, and that you showed that process. One of my favorite videos you have released!

[@aprilshowers1987]

I have SO much respect for how real Babish keeps things. I appreciate seeing what not to do as much as seeing how to fix it. A mistake doesn’t define you but how you handle it does

[@Idonotlikepeanutbutter832]

Make a note to bake Leaning Tower of Pisa Honeycake from Arthur cartoon after that show ends in February 27th

[@Fartucus]

No

[@hapasiuhengalu7586]

Yes

[@christopherdwyer7678]

I really appreciate that Babish always leaves his mistakes in his videos- that is a part of cooking! Professional chefs make mistakes too, and that's okay!

[@samurai1833]

Peak Babish, right here. I learn so much more from your correcting those mistakes than from a pitch perfect execution. I would not have even recognized the flaws if you hadn't illustrated them so clearly and definitively. This was an excellent lesson and very much appreciated.

[@swedishguyonyoutube4684]

Loving this! Loving the bitter humor, the inclusion of the so-called mistakes, and the fact that all of it is sort of based on a Seinfeld reference!

[@funnyhaha7340]

George loves his chicken spicy!

[@emilytheimp]

*Laughter*

[@waheedabdullah6371]

Maybe you should make Mallow's Fluffy Poni Radish Burger from Pokemon Sun and Moon anime

[@shayzilla1162]

I wish he did more Pokemon foods! I'd love to see his take on pokepuffs ;(

[@Fartucus]

No

[@NotAPirate]

Just this week I messed up a recipe in the last 10 minutes after 3 hours of cooking. Seeing you include the first 2 tries is super inspiring @Babish. It's nice to have a reminder that even the pro's can get it wrong the first try, and learn from it. Thanks for reminding me that mistakes are part of cooking and are a learning opportunity.

[@aileenusmaximus]

My mom always told me to "solder on" and "solider forward" growing up, so it was nice to hear you say that. Great episode, great video. Looks delicious.

[@jeffreydlayman]

Babish, thank you for showing that not everything is perfect and mistakes are made in a variety of ways. This type of transparency makes it so much easier to learn at home, especially when reality looks more like this episode.

[@Shadowxx98]

"Do as I say, not as I do", yet he soldiers on and remakes the recipe 2x times just so he can show us an "that's how it should look like" result. Dedication with Babish

[@InfTlr]

Or maybe he didn't have enough material for the video

[@adaniel8632]

Thank you for including the mistakes and how they affected the final product - it's unbelievably helpful!

[@ERey55]

What a great episode!! An excellent way of showcasing the big difference that some little decisions can make in the result of a dish.

[@BrainMax_]

Try cooking Baroness' Lunch mentioned in Cruella movie

[@Fartucus]

No

[@samuelwatson9664]

I love these seinfeld episodes, one of my favorite shows. And all your episodes are really fun to watch😄😄

[@MewsView]

While I appreciate the dedication to doing it right the first time, I now feel like I've been deprived of what could have been a very entertaining episode of bothched by Babish. However the timing of this episode is perfect with Chinese New Year around the corner. My family always goes out for a big meal and the kung pao chicken is a dish that always gets ordered. Eagerly looking forward to celebrating this year.

[@danhughesartist]

This is the BEST narration on a cooking video I have reverted heard. Simply watching this was so enjoyable an experience for me, that I decided to hit that subscribe button!

[@ArtoriasAkai]

This is why I like this channel. Not afraid to make/show the mistakes. The imperfectness makes it perfect.

[@dcastropty]

What a brilliantly executed episode.

[@rvlf2002]

i love this format of videos sooooo much

[@heathblaker2669]

I cant like this hard enough. I love this guy for showing the mistakes and honestly walking through each of them. This guy is an amazing teacher.

[@AmIWhoIThinkIAm]

I once enjoyed Kung Pao Chicken in micro cut form at a fusion joint. The fired bits were the size of the peanuts, went well over rice.

[@drmujtabashaikh8]

We can all agree that babish never fails to entertain us

[@trax72]

But he did fail, to entertain us. :)

[@BeHappyWithUrLife]

This was perfect in showcasing that persistence is key, push on and you will achieve what you desire.

[@paigelarson9279]

My adhd brain appreciates the mistakes not being edited out, it helps to realise that it’s okay not to be instantly perfect and that even if you’ve been cooking for years, it’s still okay to mess up on something you’ve never cooked before.

[@liatesta44]

this is literally one of my favourite dishes, i eat it like three times a month and you probably make it way better than i do 😭

[@jdw1066]

Thank you for posting all the mistakes! These are all super common mistakes Western home cooks make all the time (and I’ve made many times) and it’s nice to watch someone learning in real time

[@SK-iq8wv]

I loved this episode so much. I really appreciate that you show us both your errors and the successes that come from diligent hard work. I’m famous for quitting when I don’t get something right the first time because my confidence is shot - this is why I have only ever made both kimchi and fondue once (…badly).

[@ohiasdxfcghbljokasdjhnfvaw4ehr]

This is probably my favorite episode yet, I like seeing how you failed and learned and tweaked and tried again. It helps us understand the whys and what to avoid

[@basicchannel3234]

What if you made Alarm Pepper Churros from Victor and Valentino cartoon?

[@Fartucus]

No

[@Braddurs]

I really struggle cooking with a Wok at home because our 'big' gas burner is like a mouse holding a candle. One day I'll have a decent oven and hob!

[@YourPalJamieEllis]

Yeah, trying to use a wok over an electric burner is pretty needless too. You might as well just use a saucepan and get more contact up until you're working with a serious gas range.

[@stevewirtes3848]

Your reference to procrastination is what solidified you ARE my favorite cooking channel, well done 👍

[@connorstahl8391]

You should make Kronk’s Special Orders from The Emperor’s New Groove (Three oinkers wearing pants, plate of hot air, basket of Grandma's breakfast and change the bull to a gill)

[@Idonotlikepeanutbutter832]

I'd love to see you make Yam/Fig/Date Jams mentioned in 2019 Aladdin movie

[@Fartucus]

No

[@Scot1shSqu1rell]

This was a great episode. Informative, funny and a cool meal.

[@rayanowaidah6774]

So much behind the video in an as always beautiful presentation! Thank you Babish ❤️

[@Jonkmanful]

I loved that you showed off all the effort you put in!

[@SippingVino]

Babish’s voice is so deep it doesn’t sound high pitched when you speed it up 2x

[@Leto_0]

I'm sure many of you already know, but if you want more Chinese cooking lessons, Chinese Cooking Demystified and Made with Lau are two fantastic channels There's definitely more out there those are just the ones I know

[@apefu]

Awesome episode! Gonna have to look for more videos on this though because the method is quite (well, a bit at least) different from mine. Always interesting to figure out the ins and outs of different variations :)

[@beinerthchitivamachado874]

MASSIVE RESPECT for learning from your mistakes until you did it perfect. Dish looked delicious as always!!!

[@BrainMax_]

How about on the day after Valentine's day, you make Homer Simpson's' Valentine breakfast from, "I Love Lisa", episode Even if it's just Bacon and Eggs

[@Fartucus]

No

[@ankurmathew8658]

Why not dry roast the peanuts and Szechuan peppercorns? This recipe is insane and hilarious 😂

[@NEMesis1413]

I imagine some of their flavor is being imparted into the oil, and probably is toasting them more evenly/quickly by being fully submerged.

[@ankurmathew8658]

Yeah, but if you find yourself pouring blisteringly hot pots of oil back and forth multiple times, your recipe is messed up! This recipe is begging for a “Botched by Babish” redo!

[@Snax000]

Please make more videos like this. I like to make your recipes and i learn a lot more from 2 bad batches and one perfect batch as opposed to just one perfect batch. Great video and im a huge fan

[@InnsmouthAdmiral]

Absolutely nailed this episode.

[@chrisbingley]

In cooking, there are no mistakes. Just happy little accidents.

[@lorbentang8884]

I still want the quail dish from the movie "pig", honestly the whole third act of this movie was just made for Babish!

[@PJJ196]

Love the transparency of this episode

[@roberthenrypoet]

I enjoy how Babish makes light of all his cooking mishaps. :)

[@ColdplayDallas]

Next episode should definitely be a dish from Smiling Friends. The episode where they visit Salty's restaurant 😂 PLEASE make the sourdough bread bowl!

[@donkosaurus]

would be great to watch before my iconic 7pm nap

[@realkingofantarctica]

Now make flounder and have everyone else on set crowd into a broom closet to eat it.

[@jking4854]

I don't know why, but the episodes where it's trial and error until perfection are the best, the Ube Roll one is my favorite.

[@superstitiousfishes1247]

seeing the mistakes too makes this a hundred times more educational and valuable. thank you.

[@jaegerbomb269]

Spicy. The way George likes it. 👍

[@shera9505]

Please make pea soup from The Rescuers: Down Under

[@petetown13]

Appreciate the honesty here and as a fellow chef, also pointing out where you may go so wrong. I’m definitely doing things differently but glad you’re “velveting” the chicken

[@NAzTRAdamUS]

Seriously, I almost cried, this process was so beautiful.

[@BHnixe]

Just had lunch but this is really tempting me now T^T

[@giggityguy]

I have a simple Kung Pao recipe that I keep coming back to because I usually already have most of the ingredients in my house at any particular moment

[@D34dlyTidsy]

Loved the journey on this episode!

[@thomaskeene5183]

This makes me feel better about my mistakes in cooking. Thanks for sharing those parts!!

[@basicchannel3234]

What if you made The Fried Orb from The Owl House?

[@Fartucus]

No

[@MrGeekFreek]

Babish, can you make Troy's giant cookie from that one episode of Community?

[@prosperousutensil8178]

honesty, transparency, learning from failure, this is what we want. great content !

[@fufufuaru]

This is one of the things I like about Babish and his channel- he’s not afraid to show the mistakes he’s made and he’s not afraid to admit if something wasn’t up to par.