AUTHENTIC KUNG PAO SAUCE RECIPES

Steps:

• Cut the white part of leek onion into small circles, around 1cm in thickness.
• Heat wok or pan until hot firstly and then pour in oil. Then add Sichuan pepeprcorn in and fry until aroma. If necessary, remove the Sichuan peppercorn and let the oil cool down for 1 minute.
• Place dried red pepper sections, keep small fire and heat until slightly dark red. Then add garlic, ginger and green onion, fry for 20- 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Then fry any pre-prepared raw ingredients.
• Turn up the fire and stir in stir fry sauce. Fry until the ingredients are well coated.

Steps:

• Use a tofu press or DIY pressing method to squeeze any excess liquid out of the tofu.
• While your tofu is pressing, prep your veggies.
• Once the tofu has been pressed, transfer it to a cutting board, place the block on its side, and slice it lengthwise. Next, flip it back over to lie flat and cut the tofu into 32 equal-sized cubes, roughly 1-2” each.
• Arrange the tofu cubes in a shallow container, so that they make one even layer.
• Place the tofu to one side and combine 2 tbsp of soy sauce with 2 tbsp of cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk them together, then pour the sauce over the tofu.
• Flip the tofu cubes to ensure all sides are well coated in the marinade, then leave to sit while you make the Kung Pao sauce.
• Take a medium bowl and add the remaining ¼ cup of soy sauce, ½ cup of water, and the remaining 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Next, add the vinegar, sherry, brown sugar, and Sambal (I would recommend using a maximum of 3 tsp of Sambal if you like your sauce spicy, but start with less and add more to taste).
• Whisk the sauce ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
• Place a large skillet or wok over medium heat and add 2 tbsp of sesame oil.
• Once the sesame oil is warm, add the marinated tofu cubes, being careful of splattering oil.
• Fry the tofu for 8-10 minutes, occasionally flipping and stirring to ensure it cooks evenly and get nice and crispy on all sides.
• Once all sides of the tofu cubes are browned, remove the cubes from the heat and set to one side.
• Add the final tbsp of sesame oil to the hot pan, then add the ginger, garlic, and scallion whites and sauté for 30 seconds.
• Increase the heat to high, then place the zucchini and peppers in the pan.
• Cook the veggies for 3-4 minutes, occasionally stirring, then add the tofu and sauce to the pan.
• Stir-fry everything for 2-4 minutes. The sauce should thicken, and all the ingredients should be well coated.
• Serve hot, sprinkled with the halved peanuts and scallion greens.