Recipe: Kung Pao Vegetables

Originating in the province of Szechuan, Kung Pao is one of China's favorite dishes. This basic stir-fry recipe with its spicy, velvety sauce may be enjoyed as a vegetarian main dish, as a vegetable side dish, or with meat or seafood added for a one-dish meal.

Kung Pao Vegetables

Kung Pao Sauce:
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese chili garlic sauce (more or less to taste
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 knob ginger root, finely shredded

Stir-Fry Vegetables:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 small green pepper, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 cup broccoli florettes
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 can water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced
1 can baby corn, drained
1/3 cup unsalted cashews or peanuts
1 cup water (more or less as needed)

6 cups Steamed Rice

Combine all sauce ingredients in bowl and set aside. Wash, trim and chop all fresh ingredients and set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a wok. Add all vegetables and nuts to the wok and stir-fry until just tender. Stir in the Kung Pao sauce and when the mixture begins to thicken, add water a little at a time until the sauce reaches a velvety consistency, being careful not to overcook the vegetables. Serve with steamed rice. (Seafood or meat may be added for a one-dish meal.) Serves 4.