Kung Pao Sauce

Name: Kung Pao Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cuisine: Chinese (Sichuan)
Ingredients: Soy sauce — 30 ml (2 tbsp); Dark soy sauce — 10 ml (2 tsp); Chinkiang (black) vinegar — 20 ml (4 tsp); Sugar — 20 g (4 tsp); Shaoxing wine — 15 ml (1 tbsp); Cornstarch — 5 g (1.5 tsp); Chicken or vegetable stock — 60 ml (1/4 cup); Sesame oil — 5 ml (1 tsp)

The Quirky Foodster Team

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10 min

Prep

0 min (cooked into dish)

Cook

Ingredients

Soy sauce — 30 ml (2 tbsp)
Dark soy sauce — 10 ml (2 tsp)
Chinkiang (black) vinegar — 20 ml (4 tsp)
Sugar — 20 g (4 tsp)
Shaoxing wine — 15 ml (1 tbsp)
Cornstarch — 5 g (1.5 tsp)
Chicken or vegetable stock — 60 ml (1/4 cup)
Sesame oil — 5 ml (1 tsp)

Method

Combine soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and Shaoxing wine in a mixing bowl.
Mix cornstarch with a little of the stock to form a slurry, then whisk into the sauce mixture.
Add remaining stock and whisk to combine into a smooth, pourable sauce.
This sauce is typically added to a hot wok with stir-fried chicken, dried chiles, Sichuan peppercorns and peanuts.
Stir-fry briefly until the sauce thickens and coats everything glossily; finish with sesame oil.

Cultural Background: A savoury-sweet-spicy sauce named for Qing dynasty official Ding Baozhen (whose title was 'Gongbao'), kung pao sauce is the backbone of the iconic Sichuan stir-fry dish featuring chicken, peanuts and dried chiles.

Tips: • Prepare this sauce mixture (the classic Chinese 'sauce slurry' technique) before starting to stir-fry, as the cooking happens quickly. • Chinkiang black vinegar gives an authentic malty tang — regular rice vinegar is an acceptable substitute if unavailable.

Variations: • Adjust sugar and vinegar ratios for a more or less pronounced sweet-sour balance. • Add extra dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns directly to the stir-fry for more authentic numbing heat.

Storage: Refrigerate the unused sauce mixture up to 1 week in an airtight container.

Reheating: Not applicable as a standalone sauce; it's cooked directly into the stir-fry. Nutrition (per serving) Approx. 25 kcal, 0.7 g protein, 1 g fat, 3.5 g carbohydrate per 30 ml serving.

FAQs: What is kung pao sauce traditionally used for? The defining sauce for kung pao chicken, a classic Sichuan stir-fry with peanuts and dried chiles. What is Chinkiang vinegar? A dark, malty Chinese black vinegar essential to many Sichuan and Shanghainese dishes; regular rice vinegar can substitute if unavailable.