Kung Pao Pastrami: A Fusion of Flavors
Kung Pao Pastrami or Corned Beef is a savory and spicy stir-fry dish that blends the flavors of Chinese cuisine with a twist of Western deli flair.
Recipe Notes
- Active Prep: 20 minutes
- Grill Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 as a starter, or 2 as a main course
- Method: Stir-frying
- Equipment: Stove or grill side burner
Ingredients
- 1 pound thick-sliced cooked corned beef or pastrami;
- 2 tablespoons Chinese chile paste or sambal oelek
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing), sake, or Scotch whisky
- 1 tablespoon Chinese hot bean paste (optional)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 cup peanut oil
- 12 ounces Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (enough to make 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 3 to 6 dried Chinese chile peppers (Tianjin peppers), or to taste
- A 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchstick slivers
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise (set aside 1 tablespoon of the green parts for garnish)
- 4 ribs celery, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch slices
- 2 serrano or jalapeño chiles (or to taste), stemmed and thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
You’ll Also Need
- A metal strainer; a wok; a wok spatula
Recipe Steps
1: Cut the pastrami or cooked corned beef slices crosswise into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
2: Make the sauce: Combine the chile paste, soy sauce, rice wine, bean paste (if using), and sugar in a small bowl and whisk to incorporate.
3: Place a metal strainer over a heatproof bowl and line a plate with paper towels. Heat the peanut oil in a wok over high heat or on a hot grill set up for direct grilling. Add the potatoes and fry, stirring with a wok spatula, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour the fried potatoes and oil into the strainer and drain for 2 minutes. Reserve the oil that has collected in the bowl and transfer the potatoes from the strainer to the prepared plate; blot any excess oil off the potatoes with a paper towel
.4: Return
Add 3 tablespoons of the strained oil to the wok.
Add the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chiles and stir-fry over high heat (or on the hot grill) until fragrant,
about 10 seconds.
Add the ginger, garlic, scallions, celery, and fresh chiles and stir-fry until aromatic and beginning to brown, about 30 seconds.
Add the pastrami or corned beef, ¾ cup peanuts, and the potatoes to the wok and stir-fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
5: Stir the sauce to reincorporate the ingredients and add it to the wok. Stir-fry until the sauce boils, thickens, and coats the other ingredients, about 1 minute.
6: Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup peanuts and 1 tablespoon scallion greens on top and serve at once directly from the wok.
