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Kung Pao Mushrooms (Vegan)

2/14/2018

6 Comments

 
Picture
​Since it's Chinese New Year this Friday, February 16th (Year of the Dog), here's a take on a popular Chinese recipe that can be made in your own kitchen in under 30 minutes.

The BF and I love take-out Chinese, but I don't like the abundance of added thickeners, i.e., flour, cornstarch, etc. So I frequently make our own Chinese food at home where quantites can be better controlled. (Side note: BF also loves sushi and poke bowls that you can easily make at home, and you can see a poke bowl option here www.moveablefeast.me/blog/ahi-poke-bowl-with-kohlrabi-rice.)

My parents instilled my love of Asian food at an early age, as my dad lived in Shanghai for 10 years, so mom lovingly and expertly prepared Japanese and Chinese food for the five of us (two brothers, two sisters) when she could.

​Until I turned 10 years old, we went to one of our two favorite restaurants (Pagoda and Forbidden City) in Portland every Saturday night. The owners knew us by name and watched us grow up. They laughed as my mom dipped pacifers in sweet and sour sauce to quiet the infants. 

Every Saturday morning, we shopped at the local Japanese Grocery store called Anzen (100 year old store, now closed). I remember the scent and otherwordly yellow glow of the pickled daikon radish, gallon jug of sweet soy sauce, burlap bag of rice. And I remember the rice-paper-wrapped candy that my dad would give us if we behaved while waiting for them in the car.

This terrific recipe was adapted from The Woks of Life. A word about king trumpet mushrooms (smokefree.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/07/14/king10001_2.jpg) from Judy Leung, "King mushrooms seem to be named as such because of their massive stems. These are substantial and very versatile mushrooms–you can pan-fry them, stir-fry them, braise them, steam them, or grill them...it's a great candidate to serve as a meat substitute."

Specifically, I added a few ingredients that I like in Kung Pao Chicken–water chestnuts, zucchini and shitakes. I also substituted cashews over peanuts as that's my personal preference, but feel free to use peanuts if you like. 

NOTES: It's important to dice the vegetables according to the directions below. Everything will cook faster and evenly if you do. King trumpet mushrooms should be in the produce section of your local grocer (they're at my Safeway, Whole Foods, and Costco).

Adapted from: The Woks of Life
Number of servings: 4

Ingredients
  • ¾ cup whole cashews or dry roasted peanuts
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar 
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
  • 3 large king trumpet mushrooms (about 1 pound), diced into small pieces (if you can't find trumpet mushrooms, substitute with a combination of cremini, shitake, and portobello; remove gills)
  • 6 ounces shitake mushrooms, small dice
  • 2 slices ginger, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 scallions, white parts only, diced
  • 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (leave out if you can't find it. Do NOT substitute with black peppercorns, they're not the same)
  • 2-3 dried chili peppers, de-seeded and cut into segments (if you can't find dried chili peppers, sub with 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper or 1-2 deseeded, minced serrano pepper)
  • 1 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1 zucchini, small dice
  • 1 can water chestnuts, small dice
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil

Directions
  1. Prepare the sauce by mixing together the light soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, ¼ cup water, and cornstarch.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or saute pan over medium heat. Add the king mushrooms and shitakes, and cook until they're caramelized and any liquid has cooked off. Don’t stir them too much, or the mushrooms won't caramelize! Transfer to a dish and set aside.
  3. Heat another tablespoon of oil in a wok or saute pan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, scallions, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chilis. Cook for about 1 minute, and take care not to burn the spices.
  4. Now add the red bell peppers, zucchini, water chestnuts and cooked mushrooms. Turn up the heat, and stir to mix everything together. Add the prepared sauce (stir it again before adding it to the wok, as the cornstarch will have settled to the bottom of the bowl).
  5. Stir everything together quickly. Finally, add the roasted peanuts and sesame oil. Mix one more time to make sure everything is coated with sauce, and transfer to a serving dish.
6 Comments
Heidi
2/14/2018 09:16:49 am

Holy wow Kung Pao. LOVE this for New Year/Valentine's day dinner. Thank for thinking of me trying to do delish, healthy and fast weeknight dinners that gets the family to the table.
Thank for the good memory!
I was lucky to go on one of those family trips with you and can remember the taste of food at Pagoda, seeing your parents stocking up at the Asian grocery store and trying my first (not last) rice candy with wrappers that you could eat. Big day I will never forget. Happy New Year and Happy Valentine Day!!
Lots of Love Heidi

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Jacqueline Steiner link
2/14/2018 11:31:19 am

My dad used to joke that you and I must have been switched at birth. You loved and gamely tried every adventureous food my mom and dad offered you...oh, how they loved you! .My friend, those shared memories with you were the BEST part of my childhood. Love you and Happy Valentine's Day!

Reply
Heidi
2/17/2018 01:19:32 pm

I LOVED coming to your house for dinner! Talk about fun and amazing food. And now look at you. The picky picky eater. Now a top foodie, personal chef and food blogger in the Bay area. It's kind of funny how life works out. I'm so thankful for you and your family. Xoxo

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Jacquie link
2/18/2018 10:04:01 am

I WAS a super picky eater!!! My mom and dad loved feeding you. You were so open to everything....unlike someone we know. That made you a true foodie waaay before it was even a "thing". I'm so thankful for you and your family too!!!

Julie L Lauritzen link
2/20/2020 08:10:25 am

I want to try your kung pao mushrooms. If I can't find the Sichuan peppercorns, what can I sub?
THANKS!!
Julie

Reply
Jacqueline Steiner
2/20/2020 08:30:34 am

Hello Julie!!! I would either just leave it out! The recipe also calls for dried chili peppers (you could also just use a sprinkling of crushed red pepper if you can't find dried chili peppers) or a minced serrano pepper. You do want a little heat in this dish. Glad you're trying the recipe. Enjoy!!! xoxo
.

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    I'm Jacquie, personal chef & recipe developer in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. ​Living life with my wildly funny boyfriend and dog Marlowe. Lover of books, bourbon, chocolate and movies.​

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