Kung pao recipe with step by step photos – kung pao vegetables is a slightly sweet-sour and spicy Chinese dish. There are a couple of variations of the recipe and what I am sharing is a mix vegetable dish with some sauce or gravy. So its best to have this dish with stir fried rice or steamed rice for a comforting and delicious meal.
This kung pao vegetables recipe has been loosely inspired from a few Chinese cookbooks I have. Mix veggies are used in the dish. I have added carrots, french beans and bell peppers. You can even add veggies like cauliflower, zucchini, broccoli, snow peas, edamame and baby corn. Even tofu can be added.
Tips for making kung pao vegetables
- You can add veggies of your choice.
- Instead of water, you can use veg stock.
- To make the sauce thicker, add more corn starch.
- If you do not have celery, then skip adding it.
- Instead of rice vinegar, you can use rice wine or white vinegar.
- Soy sauce, sugar and black pepper can be added less or more as per taste preferences.
- You can use spring onions/scallions instead of regular onions.
Since all the other ingredients that go in the making of this recipe of Kung Pao are also plant-based, it is primarily a vegan dish. The dish is quite simple and easy to make, and doesn’t require much efforts in the kitchen. Just like any other stir fry or sauce-based dish in Indo-Chinese or Chinese cuisine
Serve kung pao vegetables hot with steamed rice or veg fried rice or corn fried rice. It also goes well with burnt garlic fried rice.
How to make kung pao vegetables
1. Rinse, peel and chop 1 medium carrot in wedges or batons. Also chop 6 to 8 french beans in 2 inches pieces. Keep them in a steamer pan.
2. Steam till the carrots and french beans are almost cooked. If using a stovetop pressure cooker for steaming, then steam for 1 whistle.
For steaming in a pressure cooker, add 1 to 1.5 cups of water. Place the french beans and carrots in a steamer bowl or a steel bowl or pan. Do not add any water in the bowl or pan. Steam for 1 whistle on medium heat.
3. When the carrots and french beans are being steamed, slice 1 medium onion thinly. Also slice 1 inch ginger and 7 to 8 medium sized garlic thinly. Chop 1 small stem of celery.
You should be able to get 2 teaspoons of finely chopped celery. Then thinly 1 medium bell pepper (red or green or yellow). Keep aside.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pan. Add 10 to 12 cashews or peanuts.
5. Saute the cashews till they turn golden. Remove and keep aside.
Making kung pao
6. Keep the heat to a low and add 4 to 5 dry red chilies. Saute till the red chilies change color. Red chilies give a smoky flavor. So don’t burn the chilies.
7. Once the red chilies change color, then add the sliced onions, ginger and garlic. Stir fry on medium heat for 2 minutes.
8. Then add the sliced bell peppers and finely chopped celery.
9. Stir fry on medium heat for 3 minutes.
10. Next add the steamed carrots and french beans. Mix well.
11. Add 2 teaspoons soy sauce.
12. Then add ½ tablespoon sugar. Mix well.
13. Add salt as per taste.
14. Next add ½ teaspoon black pepper powder or white pepper. Mix well.
15. Add 2 cups water.
16. Stir and mix very well.
17. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
18. Then add corn starch solution. To make corn starch solution, mix 2 teaspoons corn starch with 1 tbsp water. Then add this solution to the gravy. Corn starch is also known as corn flour in India.
19. Add ½ teaspoon rice vinegar. You can also use white vinegar instead.
20. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes till the sauce thickens and then add the fried cashews. For a thicker sauce, you can add some more cornstarch.
21. Serve kung pao vegetables hot with Veg Fried Rice or burnt garlic fried rice or 5 spice rice or steamed rice. You can also have with plain steamed noodles or Veg Noodles.
If you are looking for more Indo Chinese recipes then do check:
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Kung Pao Recipe | Kung Pao Vegetables
Ingredients
for steaming veggies
- 1 medium carrot – cut in wedges or batons
- 6 to 8 french beans – cut in 2 inches pieces
- 1 to 1.5 cups water, for steaming
other ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 10 to 12 cashews or peanuts
- 4 to 5 dry red chilies
- 1 small onion – thinly sliced
- 7 to 8 medium garlic – thinly sliced
- 1 inch ginger – thinly sliced
- 1 medium to bell pepper (capsicum) – thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped celery
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder or white pepper
- ½ teaspoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoon corn starch + 1 tablespoon water – for corn starch paste
- salt as required
Instructions
preparation for kung pao
- Rinse, peel and chop 1 medium carrot in wedges or batons. Also chop 6 to 8 french beans in 2 inches pieces. Keep them in a steamer pan.
- Steam till the carrots and french beans are almost cooked.
- If using a pressure cooker for steaming, then steam for 1 whistle. For steaming in a pressure cooker, add 1 to 1.5 cups water. Place the french beans and carrots in a steamer bowl or a steel bowl or pan. Do not add any water in the bowl or pan. Steam for 1 whistle on medium flame.
- When the carrots and french beans are being steamed, slice 1 medium onion thinly.
- Also slice 1 inch ginger and 7 to 8 medium sized garlic thinly. Chop 1 small stem of celery. You should be able to get 2 teaspoon finely chopped celery.
- Then thinly slice 1 medium bell pepper (red or green or yellow). Keep aside.
making kung pao vegetables
- Heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil in a pan. Add 10 to 12 cashews or peanuts.
- Saute the cashews till they turn golden. Remove and keep aside.
- Keep the flame to a low and add 4 to 5 dry red chilies. Saute till the red chilies change color. Red chilies give a smoky flavor. Avoid burning the chilies.
- Then add the sliced onions, ginger and garlic. Stir fry on medium flame for 2 minutes.
- Then add the sliced bell peppers (capsicum) and finely chopped celery.
- Stir fry on medium flame for 3 minutes.
- Next add the steamed carrots and french beans. Mix well.
- Add 2 teaspoon soy sauce and ½ tablespoon sugar. Mix well.
- Add salt as per taste and ½ teaspoon black pepper powder or white pepper. Mix well.
- Add 2 cups water. Mix very well. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Then add corn starch solution. To make corn starch solution, mix 2 teaspoons of corn starch with 1 tbsp water. Then add this solution to the gravy.
- Add ½ teaspoon rice vinegar. You can also use white vinegar instead.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes till the sauce thickens and then add the fried cashews. For a thicker sauce, you can add some more cornstarch.
- Serve kung pao with veg fried rice or steamed rice. You can also have with plain steamed noodles or veg noodles.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Kung Pao Vegetables post from the archives, originally published in June 2017 has been updated and republished on February 2023.
easy and yummy!!