A vegetarian version of kung pao chicken but with chickpeas instead of chicken and simplified cooking.
| Servings | 4 Portions |
| Tags | Asian | Chilipepper | Chinese | Family Dinner | Main Course | Spicy | Vegetarian | Vegitables |
| Allergens | Gluten, Peanuts, Sesame, Soybeans, Wheat |
| Cook Time | 20 min |
This is basically the same recipe I have for Kung Pao Chicken, but vegetarian instead. I've replaced the chicken with a yellow onion and chickpeas, which I think is quite good. Since I don't need to marinate any meat, I've also simplified the process a bit - basically just fry the things and mix all the liquids with spices and it's done. :)
So is this a Chinese dish? Probably not, as I haven't found many Chinese recipes that contain chickpeas, but the rest is very Chinese so I'm choosing to tag it as such anyway.
When I took the pictures, I used a mixture of both light and dark soy, which I thought was perfect. Here you can experiment and choose what you think is best.
It's really spicy, which I like. You shouldn't have to avoid big flavors just because the dish happens to be vegetarian. That said - if you don't like spicy food, you should hold back on the dried chili and Szechuan pepper.
The recipe contains some ingredients that can be a bit difficult to find (in Sweden, anyway). Chinese black vinegar is, for example, something I had to look for in specific Asian stores. Chinese cooking wine is even harder - but a common substitute seems to be dry sherry, so I chose the cheapest sherry I could find which has worked very well. Then we have dried Chinese chili which was also available in specific Asian stores, along with ground Szechuan pepper. But it is worth finding those ingredients which elevates the dish.
More Images
Ingredients
Directions
- Prepare the vegetables - chop the onion into small pieces and cut the peppers and spring onion into small pieces.
- Fry the onion and peppers in the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
- When the onion and peppers have softened slightly, add the finely chopped garlic and ginger. Mix and fry for another minute.
- Add the chickpeas and scallions - fry for another minute.
- Mix the rest of the ingredients (except the peanuts) and mix so that the cornstarch is dissolved in the liquid. Add this mixture to the frying pan and let everything bubble for a few minutes.
- Add the peanuts, mix and serve with cooked rice.
Nutrition Facts*
| Total | Serving | 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 1715.56 kcal | 428.89 kcal | 158 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 154.4 g | 38.6 g | 14.22 g |
| Fat | 97.18 g | 24.29 g | 8.95 g |
| Protein | 54.72 g | 13.68 g | 5.04 g |
| Sugar | 72.64 g | 18.16 g | 6.69 g |
| Salt | 6.41 g | 1.6 g | 0.59 g |
* The nutritional information provided is approximated and calculated using the ingredients available in the database. Info will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
