Kung Pao Chickpeas and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns, or to taste
- 2 dried red chili peppers
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp water, whisked
- 4 stalks green onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
Sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp rice wine
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp regular soy sauce and 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp peanut butter, or more sesame oil to taste
Preparation
Whisk together all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the Szechuan peppercorns, dried red chili peppers, ginger, and garlic until fragrant.
Add the bell pepper, chickpeas, and sauce mixture; stir well and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry and let the sauce simmer until thickened.
Toss in the green onion and peanuts, cook for 2 more minutes, then serve.
Optional: For more crispiness, fry the chickpeas in oil until golden brown and fragrant before adding them in step 3.
