Kung pao with lettuce wraps

Private
Written By Prakriti Koller

December 2021 (Private)

Menu

American-Chinese kung pao (chicken or tofu)

Honey-soy green beans

Chicken lettuce wraps

Jasmine rice

Ingredients & Supplies

Supplies

  • Wok

  • Skillet

  • Rice cooker, or oven-safe dish

HONEY-SOY GREEN BEANS

  • Fresh green beans

  • Honey

ACROSS THE MENU

  • Soy sauce

  • Sweet rice cooking wine (or mirin)

  • Garlic (11 total cloves)

  • Ginger (~1/2 inch of root)

  • Sesame oil

  • Green onions (3 stalks)

Ingredients

KUNG PAO

  • ~2 lbs chicken thigh

  • Corn starch

  • Chicken stock

  • Whole peanuts

  • Red bell pepper, optional

  • Jasmine rice (and butter or oil, for oven cooking instructions)

LETTUCE WRAPS

  • Small head lettuce

  • Ground chicken / meat

  • 1/2 small onion

  • Hoisin sauce

  • Sriracha (or chili-garlic alternative)

  • Diced vegetables: water chestnuts, mushrooms, peppers, carrot, etc.


Cook-along Steps

  • Use the rice-to-water ratios suggested by the packaging.

    Rice cooker instructions:

    • Mix the rice & water

    • Start the cooker

    Oven instructions:

    • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bring water to a boil.

    • In an oven-safe dish, mix together: the rice, boiling water, and 1 tbsp butter (per cup of rice)

    • Cover with foil, and bake for 25-30 min.

  • Kung Pao

    In a bowl, mix the following together to make the marinade:

    • 1 tbsp sesame oil

    • 2 tbsp soy sauce

    • 1 tsp cornstarch

    • 1 tbsp rice cooking wine / mirin

    Chop the chicken into 1/2” cubes.

    Add the chicken into marinade and set aside for at least 15 min.

  • Kung pao

    • Smash & chop 8 cloves of garlic

    • Chop ½ tbsp of ginger

    • Chop any peppers / veggies

    • Chop scallions — keep the greens & whites separate

    Honey-soy sauce

    • Trim green beans

    • Chop 1 clove of garlic

    Lettuce wraps

    • Dice small onion

    • Chop 2 cloves of garlic

    • Mince ½ tbsp ginger

    • Finely dice vegetables (mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, water chestnuts)

  • In a skillet, heat up some vegetable oil. Add chopped onions, garlic, and minced ginger to hot oil. Stir & cook for about 2 min. Add ground meat and mix. Cook for 5 min or until meat is well browned.

  • Lettuce wraps

    • ¼ cup hoisin sauce

    • 2 tbsp soy sauce

    • 1 tbsp rice cooking wine

    • 1 tbsp sriracha

    Kung pao

    • 3 tbsp soy sauce

    • 1 tbsp rice cooking wine

    • ¼ cup chicken stock

    • 1 tsp sesame oil

    • 1 tbsp cornstarch

    • 1 tsp crushed red pepper

    Honey-soy green beans

    • Minced garlic

    • 2 tbsp soy sauce

    • 1 tbsp honey

    • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

    • Crushed red pepper, optional

  • Add any diced vegetables, the lettuce wrap sauce to the pan, and ¼ cup of water (or chicken stock). Lower to medium-low heat and cover. Cook for 10 min, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.

  • Heat up a wok. Add 1 tbsp oil and the green beans, and saute for 4 minutes.

    Add the honey-soy sauce and stir well.

  • Stir quickly and until the beans have reached your desired level of crispiness. Remove from the wok into its serving dish.

    In that same hot wok, add sesame oil. Once at high heat, add the chicken pieces. Stir vigorously. Remove when browned.

  • Do the aromatics

    Toss in the chopped ginger, garlic, white parts of the onions, and any diced veggies.

    Stir fast & cook to your desired level of crunch.

    Combine it all

    Add in the cooked chicken, the peanuts, and dry red chilis or crushed red pepper

    Sauce time

    Pour in the sauce and simmer to thicken

  • Kung pao chicken

    Top with chopped scallions (greens) and more crushed peanuts

    Lettuce wraps

    Scoop filling into a lettuce leaf & garnish with chopped scallions

    Green beans

    Top with a splash of sesame oil

From the kitchens of…

Prakriti Koller
Next

Kung pao with spring rolls