doug, I’m sorry you didn’t care for the version I posted. As DavidK graciously pointed out, this is a blog written by regular people who like to cook. Personal preferences, tastes, and styles vary. It’s subjective. Amateurs with Knives. It’s in the title. If you don’t care for that, go pick up a copy of The French Laundry.

Also, since you were so quick to jump on DavidK for misreading, I’d like to point out the original text I wrote, just above the ingredient list:

“Thanks to the discourse that accompanies the recipe, I was able to figure out the combination of ingredients that worked best for me. I halved the hoisin and added the (tomato) paste back…”

I halved the hoisin because that’s how I like it. When I copy and paste a recipe straight on, I am sure to note “courtesy of”. When I adapt, I say so. Apparently your math skills and reading comprehension are as bad as your interpersonal skills. Want the original version? Multiply the hoisin by 2 and cut back on the tomato paste.

At any rate, good luck in your role as the Champion of Rabid Hoisin Lovers Everywhere who are apparently offended by my version of this recipe.

We’re not sheep; there is no reason to stick exactly to any recipe, or to curse at cooks who are trying to get creative. We’re “Amateurs With Knives”, not professional wannabees with knives, having some fun and sharing our results with other friendly folks.

Second, frying the chicken in a few tablespoons of oil rather than deep frying is absurd. Don’t kid yourself, you’re going to get a completely different result. If you want General’s chicken like your neihgboorhood Chinese joint, do what they do and deep fry it. If you’re concerned about calories, you should be reading this anyways.

Third, David K, the recipe says exactly how much Hoisin mixture to use where – you measured wrong. Just because your experiment in creativity “improved” doesn’t mean it came out good. Stick to the recipe folks! They spend endless hours perfecting it and testing over and over. If you want to get creative, take up finger painting. If you want the best food at home, stick to the god damn recipe. Pay attention, and measure properly. Geesh.

Btw.. if you don’t have Hoisin sauce, you can make your own. It’s not difficult, and the ingredients are in every half-decently stocked pantry. Google the recipe. But, if you want your General’s to taste more like your local joint, use a mass-made Hoisin.

I sort of stir-fried the coated chicken in my mid-size Calphalon wok, using about 3 tablespoons of olive oil to fry in. I added a little more olive oil and let it heat up, prior to each small batch I made.

As for the sauce/marinade, the posted recipe is really delicious, though time-consuming to make. If you’re looking for a shortcut that still tastes pretty good, you can mix equal parts of hoisin and ketchup, then dilute a bit with white vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar, and if you like a little spice you can add a teaspoon or so of hot chili sauce (I used Sriracha hili sauce because it’s readily available here in Calif.). You can substitute a little water for the added vinegar, and/or leave out the chili sauce if you like a milder sauce. Taste the marinade along the way, to decide what proportions are right for you. I’m a slow cook, so simplifying the marinade/sauce is a great time saver for me.