Kung Pao…Anything

There are certain sauces that can top almost anything. Tomato. Béarnaise. Cheese. But there’s one dressing that kicks up just about any food group: Kung Pao. It’s got a little heat and a little sweet with a touch of umami. It’s a fun mixture of chili sauce, honey, and soy. 

Sure, you can put it with chicken. But why not try it as a marinade for flank steak or even shrimp skewers? Any kind of protein will take nicely to the sauce. But I think the best use is for vegetables. Try it sautéed with broccoli rabe or bok choy. How about cauliflower steaks or Brussels sprouts? I did the sprouts in Kung Pao last Thanksgiving and it was a real hit.

It’s a versatile sauce that you can add cornstarch to or not. I actually prefer it without. Sometimes, I stir in a little more sambal oelek or Sriracha if I want to turn up the heat, add more soy to calm it down, or more honey to sweeten it up. Play with the percentages to see which taste you like better. If you don’t have honey, dark brown sugar will suffice. Adding peanuts gives it a crunch element, although you can just add a tablespoon of peanut butter if you like the nut taste but not the texture. Neither one is necessary, however.

Either way, it’s a great base to start with and certainly takes the doldrums out of cooking dinner.

Here’s the recipe:

½ c. soy sauce

3 TB honey

2 TB sambal oelek

1 TB oil (canola or peanut)

2 tsp rice wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 TB ginger, minced

1 TB scallions, chopped