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Sauce recipe

Kung Pao Sauce

The sweet, sour and numbing stir-fry sauce, mixed ahead so dinner takes six minutes.

Makes
About 200ml, enough for two stir-fries
Ready in (mins)
10
Keeps
2 weeks in the fridge
Kung Pao Sauce

Kung pao is a sauce, not a dish. Get the ratio right in a jar and any protein plus peanuts becomes dinner in the time it takes to heat a wok.

Black vinegar is what makes it taste like the restaurant version rather than a generic sweet-and-sour. Do not swap it for rice vinegar unless you have no choice.

How to make it
  1. Toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan for 30 seconds until fragrant, then grind to a powder.
  2. Whisk the cornflour into the water or stock first, until no lumps remain.
  3. Add the light and dark soy, black vinegar, Shaoxing wine and sugar. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
  4. Stir in the ground Sichuan peppercorn and sesame oil.
  5. Store in a jar. Shake hard before each use — the cornflour settles.
  6. To cook: stir-fry your protein and aromatics, pour in the sauce, and toss for 60–90 seconds until it turns glossy and coats everything.
The ratio
  • 3 partsLight soy sauce
  • 3 partsBlack vinegar
  • 2 partsShaoxing wine
  • 2 partsSugar
What you need
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp black vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorn
  • 4 tbsp water or chicken stock
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
What to put it on

Diced chicken thigh with peanuts and dried chillies, prawns, firm tofu, or tossed through blanched greens and noodles.