Kung Pao sauce is a sweet and spicy stir-fry sauce originating from China. This recipe uses Chickpeas as the source of protein which contain vitamins A, E, and C to make a delicious vegetarian stir-fry dish.
Ingredients
Soy_sauce
- ⅓ cup low-sodium
Rice_vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons unseasoned
Sambal_oelek
- 2 Tablespoons
Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon minced (about 3 medium cloves)
Ginger
- 1 Tablespoon, fresh peeled and finely chopped (about 1-inch knob)
Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon
Cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons
Chickpeas
- 1, 15-oz can, drained, rinsed, and shaken dry
Cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons
Oil
- 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil, such as canola
Chili_peppers
- 8 dried red Thai chili peppers
Scallions
- 3, white and green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
Red_onion
- 1 small, cut into 1-inch cubes
Red_pepper - 1 cut into 1-inch squares
Green_pepper
- 1 cut into 1-inch squares
Celery
- 1 large stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces
Roasted_nuts
- ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts or cashews
Water_chestnuts
- 1, 5-oz can whole water chestnuts, drained and quartered
Instructions
Step 1
In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients with 2 Tablespoons water. The Kung Pao Sauce can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Step 2
In a small bowl, toss the chickpeas with the cornstarch.
Step 3
In a wok or a large, heavy, flat-bottomed skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil over high heat for 1 minute.
Step 4
Add the cornstarch-coated chickpeas and stir until the chickpeas start to color, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the chickpeas from the wok.
Step 5
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the wok and heat over high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
Step 6
Add the chilies and stir for 1 minute. Add the scallions, onion, bell peppers, celery, peanuts, and water chestnuts and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables start to soften but are still somewhat crisp, 2 -3 minutes.
Step 7
Return the chickpeas to the wok, add the Kung Pao Sauce, stir to combine, and bring to a boil, 2 to 3 minutes. Place in a large serving bowl.