kung pao chicken and eggplant

Kung Pao Chicken and Eggplant is bold on flavors, easy to make and very tasty. This Chinese-inspired recipe originally uses Szechuan peppercorns but as I didn’t have any and the Asian store is miles away, I used black peppercorns instead. Equally as delicious. Kung Pao means, although perhaps a little loosely, ‘Palace Guardian’ as this sweet, sticky, spicy and sour dish was name after a Qing Dynasty official from Szechuan or Sichuan – this major province in southwestern China has a few different spellings. As with any stir-fry, have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking although I chop the eggplant last so it doesn’t have time to brown.

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Kung Pao Chicken and Eggplant

Bold on flavors, this easy and very tasty Chinese-inspired recipe originally uses Szechuan peppercorns but as I didn’t have any and the Asian store is miles away, I used black peppercorns instead. Equally as delicious. As with any stir-fry, have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. I chop the eggplant last so it doesn’t have time to brown.

Servings: people

Calories: 506kcal

6 skinless boneless chicken thighs, chopped (about 1 1/2 lbs/680g)
3 tablespoons cornstarch cornflour
3 tablespoons dry sherry or Chinese cooking wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus 3 tablespoons extra
3 tablespoons runny honey
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons peanut oil, plus extra for cooking the chicken or canola oil
2 small or 1 large eggplant (14 oz/398g), trimmed and cut into chunks
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
3 fat garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely grated peeled ginger
1 tablespoons black peppercorns, crushed – use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle (use Szechuan peppercorns if you have them)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flakes
8 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/3 cup (50g) dry-roasted peanuts, chopped or cashews
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve optional

In a medium bowl, combine the chopped chicken, cornstarch, sherry and 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce; set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, honey and rice vinegar until well combined; set aside.
In a large wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and stir-fry for 5 minutes until browned and softened. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes until tender-crisp. Remove eggplant and bell pepper to a plate.
Heat a tablespoon or so of oil in the same wok. Drain the chicken from the marinade and cook in two batches, for 5 to 6 minutes until browned and cooked. Remove the chicken to a plate. Heat a little more oil in the wok over medium-high and add the remaining chicken. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned and cooked. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant.
Return all the chicken to the wok. Add crushed black peppercorns, crushed red pepper, and the eggplant and pepper mixture; stir fry until well combined.
Stir the soy sauce mixture and add to the wok. Stir-fry for 3 to 3 minutes until the sauce is thickened and coating the chicken and vegetables.
Add most of the green onions, I like to keep some for garnish. Stir-fry to combine the green onions. Serve the chicken over steamed rice and sprinkle with peanuts and green onion.

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