Surprisingly, one of the best chinese meals I've had came from a chinese restaurant in Kigali, Rwanda. This dish is very similar to one of the dishes they served and uses Sichuan peppercorns, a spice not often found in the States and banned here until 2005. I get mine from an Indian spice dealer.
Cut the chicken as evenly as possible into bite-size cubes. Place the chicken cubes in a bowl, add the marinade ingredients and mix well; set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
Discard the stem and seeds of the pepper, and cut into small squares to complement the chicken. Thinly slice the chili, discarding the stem and seeds. If the scallions are slender, cut them into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch pieces, otherwise slice them on a steep angle. Crush the Sichuan pepper using a mortar and pestle. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
Heat the oil for deep-frying in the wok over a high flame to 350° - 400°F. Add the chicken and stir briskly for about 30 seconds, until the pieces have separated and have become pale; remove from the oil with a slotted spoon. Allow the oil to return to 350°- 400°F, then fry the chicken again until golden; remove and set aside. Drain off all but 3 tablespoons of the oil.
Return the wok to heat and, working quickly over a high flame, tip in the red bell pepper, chili, scallions, and Sichuan pepper and stir-fry briefly until they are fragrant.
Stir in the chicken. Give the sauce a stir and tip it in to the wok. Stir briskly as the sauce thickens. Finally, off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and serve.
By Alex Gibbons