Name: Kung Pao chicken with Asian salad and ginger relish
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 garlic clove; 2 cm piece of ginger, coarsely chopped; ¼ tsp finely chopped small green chilli; 500 gm skinless chicken thigh fillets, thinly sliced; 50 ml peanut oil; ½ small red capsicum, finely diced; ½ small onion, finely diced; ½ zucchini, finely diced; 2 tbsp soy sauce, or to taste; 100 gm raw cashews, roasted; 1 long red chilli, seeds removed, thinly sliced lengthways; 50 gm (1 cup) each of thinly sliced Chinese cabbage and red cabbage; ¼ small Spanish onion, thinly sliced, rinsed in cold water, drained well; ½ a small carrot (about 50gm), cut into julienne; 25 gm bean sprouts; ½ cup each (loosely packed) coriander, Vietnamese mint and basil leaves; ½ cup (loosely packed) garlic chives, cut into 4cm lengths; Ginger relish; 6 cm piece of ginger (about 60gm), coarsely chopped; 1 small garlic clove; 2 tbsp caster sugar; 1 small golden shallot, thinly sliced; Juice of 1 lime; 45 ml coconut vinegar (see note); Kung Pao dressing; 2 tsp chilli oil, or to taste; 1¼ tbsp rice wine vinegar; 1¼ tsp caster sugar; 2¼ tsp vegetable oil; ¾ tsp sesame oil

Kung Pao chicken with Asian salad and ginger relish

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for Kung Pao chicken with Asian salad and ginger relish by Sian Bressolles from Mao Mao's.

Serves 6

Prep

25M

Cook

Total

32M

“I was really taken by Sian Bressolles’ Kung Pao chicken salad at Mao Mao’s. I’d love to get the recipe so I can make it at home.”

Annabelle Johnson, Norman Park, Qld

To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, , GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email us. All requests should include the restaurant’s name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.

Ingredients

1 garlic clove

2 cm piece of ginger, coarsely chopped

¼ tsp finely chopped small green chilli

500 gm skinless chicken thigh fillets, thinly sliced

50 ml peanut oil

½ small red capsicum, finely diced

½ small onion, finely diced

½ zucchini, finely diced

2 tbsp soy sauce, or to taste

100 gm raw cashews, roasted

1 long red chilli, seeds removed, thinly sliced lengthways

50 gm (1 cup) each of thinly sliced Chinese cabbage and red cabbage

¼ small Spanish onion, thinly sliced, rinsed in cold water, drained well

½ a small carrot (about 50gm), cut into julienne

25 gm bean sprouts

½ cup each (loosely packed) coriander, Vietnamese mint and basil leaves

½ cup (loosely packed) garlic chives, cut into 4cm lengths

Ginger relish

6 cm piece of ginger (about 60gm), coarsely chopped

1 small garlic clove

2 tbsp caster sugar

1 small golden shallot, thinly sliced

Juice of 1 lime

45 ml coconut vinegar (see note)

Kung Pao dressing

2 tsp chilli oil, or to taste

1¼ tbsp rice wine vinegar

1¼ tsp caster sugar

2¼ tsp vegetable oil

¾ tsp sesame oil

½ tsp mirin

Method

Main

1.Pound garlic, ginger, green chilli and 1 tsp sea salt in a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste. Place chicken in a non-reactive container, add garlic paste, stirring to combine, then cover, refrigerate and marinate for 1 hour.

2.Meanwhile, for ginger relish, pound ginger, garlic and sugar in a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste. Add shallots, stir to combine. Add lime juice and coconut vinegar, set aside. Makes 150ml.

3.For Kung Pao dressing, combine all ingredients and ½ tsp sea salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. Makes 100ml.

4.Heat peanut oil in a wok over high heat. Add chicken and cook until almost cooked through (3-5 minutes), then add capsicum, onion and zucchini and cook until chicken is cooked through (1-2 minutes). Season with soy sauce. Add cashews, set aside, keep warm.

5.In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients.Drizzle with 100ml Kung Pao dressing, toss gently to combine. Divide chicken and vegetable mixture between plates, top with Kung Pao salad, then drizzle plate with ginger relish and serve immediately.