Just After Sunset

I’m reading the book Just After Sunset by Stephen King, who is normally my favorite author. This book, however, is just terrible. It’s a collection of short stories, which I abhor anyway, but it was a gift, and I mean to get through it.

The story The Things They Left Behind features a young man who escaped perishing in the Twin Towers during 9/11 by calling in to work. Uncannily, things from his coworkers who didn’t survive begin to show up in his apartment. After deciding to dispose of them, he feels so relieved he picks up an order of General Tso’s Chicken at his favorite Chinese place. The question is: Will these things stay gone?

General Tso’s Chicken

Marinade:

3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
l 1/2 tablespoons oyster flavored sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Combine marinade ingredients in a non-metallic bowl or Ziploc bag. Submerge washed chicken in marinade covering all portions.Allow to stand for 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally.Sauce:

1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons cooking oil
6 small dried red chilies
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chilies
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in water
1/4 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped

Mix sauce ingredients well in a small bowl.

Place a wok over high heat and add oil, swirling to coat sides. Stir-fry the chilies for 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook two minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, green onions, and crushed chilies; cook for one minute.Pour in sauce and stir fry for one minute.In a cup, combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and stir until smooth. Pour slowly into the wok and cook until sauce bubbles and thickens.Serve chicken garnished with a sprinkling of peanuts. Source: Cooks.com