Kung Pao Shrimp with Cashew Nuts


Ever wondered who is kung pao and why is this dish named after him? Well according to legend he was a great general who had a fondness for eating seafood and he liked his shrimps cooked in this manner. Well maybe there never was a person named kung pao who invented this dish but the name stuck. This dish is a standard offering of Chinese restaurants in the West.

Maybe there never was a veronique or a caesar but we do know that chicken veronique is cooked in a certain style. And a caesars salad has a yellow dressing and has lots of cheese, croutons and bacon bits to it. So when one says Kung Pao Shrimp it is basically a strifried dish of shrimps, zucchinis and cashew nuts.

Kung Pao Shrimp with Cashew Nuts

1/2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger

1 tsp. chopped garlic

1 1/2 tbsp. Cornstarch

1/4 tsp. bicarbonate of soda

salt and pepper

1/4 tsp. sugar

1 lb. uncooked shrimp

4 T. oil

1 small onion, diced

1 large or 2 small zucchini, cut into cubes

1 small red bell pepper , cut into cubes

1/2 cup cashew nuts

Sauce

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 T. cornstarch

2 T. chili sauce

2 T. bean paste (optional)

2 t. sesame oil

1 T. sherry or rice wine

Mix together the ginger, garlicm 1 1/2 . cornstarch bicarbonate of soda, salt, pepper, and sugar.

Clean and peel the shrimp. If it is large, cut in half.Place in dry ingredients and leave to stand for 20 minutes.

Heat the oil in the wok and when hot add the shrimp. Cook, stirring over high heat for about 20 seconds or just until the shrimp change color. Transfer to a plate.

Add the onion to the same oil in the wok and cook for about 1 minutes. Add the zucchine and red pepper and cook about 30 seconds.

Mix the sauce ingredients together and add to the wok. Cook stirring constantly until the sauce is slighjtly thickened. Add the shrimps and the cashew nuts and heat through completely.

Serve with plain boiled rice or fried rice.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cook's Notes:

When using cooked shrimp, add them with the vegetables when stirfrying.

Vary the amount of chili sauce to suit one's preference for heat.

The copyright of the article Kung Pao Shrimp with Cashew Nuts in Asian Cuisine is owned by winddancer. Permission to republish Kung Pao Shrimp with Cashew Nuts in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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