Tony Zentgraf
Kung Pao Origin
Kung Pao or Gong Bao as the dish is called in Sichuan province in the western region of China. Thought to be a dish from the Qing Dynasty (mid 1800s) this dish is traditionally made with chicken. The Sichuan province is known for their chiles, specifically dried.
Keeping close to traditional flavors to the original spices used in the Sichuan province, the recipe uses garlic, scallions, chili flakes and peanuts. In some tellings of how the dish was originally prepared in Sichuan province, there could be sichuan peppercorns (which give a numbing spice) or ginger.
Layering Flavors
However you build the dish, layering the flavors in the dish give the final product a blend of flavors. As I said before, adjusting the chili flakes will move the spice dial as you see fit.
In this recipe, I used 16-20 size shrimp that were thawed and patted dry with a towel. I did not marinate the shrimp but if you do the marinade may deter the shrimp from searing and cause liquid to release form the shrimp.
I wanted to get the sear in the wok similar to grilling. Although doing a skewered and grilled marinated shrimp on a grill would add another level of flavor to the dish.
Variations
Substitute diced chicken for an easy change to the dish. For wok searing chicken see video in the Thai Basil Cashew Chicken (click link). The chicken is seared similar to the shrimp but be sure to keep the chicken moving to avoid burning. Toss and even out the chicken to be able to sear in one layer.
Enjoy and play with the spice level!
Wok Seared Kung Pao Shrimp on the Kamado Joe
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Wok Searing Shrimp
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 15 ea Shrimp size 18-20 (thawed and dried)
Assembling the Sauce
- 1 tsp Vegetable Oil
- 2 tsp Garlic minced
- 1 tsp Chili Flakes
- ½ cup Zucchini diced or sliced
- ½ cup Carrots sliced
- 2 oz 4 oz Kung Pao Sauce (click for recipe)
- 2 tbsp Scallions sliced
- ¼ cup Peanuts (unsalted or salted rinsed)
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- Cornstarch Slurry to thicken as needed
Instructions
Searing the Shrimp
- Heat the wok or saute pan and add the oil. Dry the shrimp with paper towel to remove excess moisture. Once the oil is heated add the dried shrimp to the wok or pan.
- Sear the shrimp on both sides. Once the shrimp begin to change color and begin to curl, flip the shrimp. Cook on the second side for about a minute more. Do not overcook. Shrimp will continue to cook in the sauce.
Building the Sauce
- Cleanout the wok or pan after searing the shrimp.
- Over a medium-high heat, add the teaspoon of oil allow to heat up.
- Add the garlic and chili flakes and saute to allow the oils to release. Avoid burning the garlic and chili flakes.
- Add the vegetables to the wok or pan and saute to allow them to begin cooking.
- Add the Kung Pao sauce to the pan and bring to a boil. Allowing the sauce to boil caramelizes the sugars in the sauce. If cooking on a stove be careful not to reduce the sauce too much, this will make the dish saltier.
- Once the sauce boils, add the shrimp back to the wok or saute pan.
- Toss to coat the shrimp.
- Add the peanuts and scallions. Toss to coat again.
- Drizzle the sesame oil around the wok or pan to allow it to distribute. Toss again to combine the flavors.
- Thicken with a cornstarch slurry to the thickness you would like.
