Here's the real story behind General Tso's CHicken

[yuiyoshida]

[democratisphere]

1. One of my favorite dishes.

Thanks for the history on General Tso's Chicken yuiyoshida.

[geardaddy]

2. I never heard of it when I lived in Beijing or Taipei

The first time I heard of it was at one of those mall Chinese places when I got home to the US.

[Lisa0825]

3. Very interesting! It made me want to find the real recipe!

But even one from the documentary's page includes sugar: "Dash of sugar or tsp of honey
(Chef Peng would not approve.)"

I found this one I may try... https://carryitlikeharry.com/original-general-tso-chicken-recipe/

[smirkymonkey]

4. Interesting story! Thanks!

I have never ordered it because I don't like sweet dishes, but I thought the history was interesting.

[miyazaki]

5. A guy working at a store near me used to pronounce it General Toe So.

Rolf.

There was a pretty good documentary floating around Netflix and/or Hulu called
In search of General Tso? Had some good history of Chinese Americans.

[yuiyoshida]

7. i posted that a long time ago...

it may even still be on DU someplace.

[underpants]

8. Ive always heard it pronounced Choes

Maybe that a southern thing I don’t know.

[JHB]

10. The place I order it from pronounces it like "Chau's"...

I'm in the northeast, and the staff speak to each other in Chinese, so it's not a southern thing.

I think it's more of a transliteration issue. Back in the 70s or 80s there was a shift in how Chinese names were spelled using the latin alphabet. Peking became Beijing, Mao Tse-Tung became Mao Zedong, etc.

"Tso" is a holdover from the earlier system, which is probably why it's so far off from actual pronunciation (which itself can vary because of regional accents and dialects).

[JI7]

6. and Kissinger had Nixon try it and that's how Nixon and CHina policy came about

[underpants]

9. I, for one, think we should have standardized Chinese menus across the country

I’ve joked about this for years - this would one of my major issues if I was running for office (I’m not)

Every Chinese restaurant menu should be the same across the country so if you were in Tulsa or Toledo the L3 lunch is chicken w. broccoli, the LM5 is Shrimp Lo Mein, and CS4 is General Tso’s chicken! Once you know your favorites you can order them wherever you go.

[angstlessk]

11. Yeah, and when I was in college I had to make a proposition...so

based on the job I had at the time, I proposed everyone should live in alphabetical order...it was more complicated than that..hey I got a B, so your proposition...I LIKE!

On Edit: It was tongue-in-cheek

P.S. I think my teacher thought I was a fascist? She looked kinda shocked at my proposition...I think I was supposed to propose a new product or something? Business 201 or something thereabouts..it's been awhile.

[underpants]

12. Thats funny

I had it out with my intermediate accounting professor about a trick in a written answer which ending with me informing him that I AM PAYING FOR THIS! He kicked me out of his office and fucked me over on my final the second semester.

Saw him years later at a barber shop. I walked over and let him know he was both a dick and and asshole.

Love your story.

[angstlessk]

13. Oh, I know...if you can come up with the same answer

without going through all the hoops involved in the problem, you fail!!! Seems simple is the best, but not according to some professors!

Hell, their jobs depend on complication, and thinking things are harder than they need be, otherwise why need Master Degrees to teach?

I had a Criminology teacher say poverty was not a reason for crime, based on the great depression...well, the entire country was suffering together...there were no 'pockets' of poverty there were cities and states in poverty.

Oh, I ain't no fascist...more likely a socialist...not of the communist type more in the democratic socialist vein.