Go Back
+ servings
Kung Pao Pastrami (A Mission Chinese Recipe) | beef | Chinese food | recipe | Szechuan | Sichuan | spicy | hot | stir fry | main | takeout | restaurant | vegetables |

Kung Pao Pastrami (A Mission Chinese Recipe)

4.20 from 5 votes
Big chunks of pastrami, tender potato and crispy celery are tossed with tons of chili peppers, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns. A new-age Chinese dish that is made with authentic spices and comforting American ingredients. Extra hot and addictive, you won’t say no to this if you’re into spicy food. The recipe is slightly adapted from The Mission Chinese Food Cookbook.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 3 to 4 servings
Author: Ella

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 small Russet potato , cut into 1/8-inch pieces
  • 360 grams (12 ounces) deli pastrami , cut into 1-inch pieces (*Footnote 1)
  • 3 celery stalks , sliced
  • 4 green onions , sliced, green and white parts separated
  • 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
  • 12 dried mild chili peppers such as Bullet Head chili peppers
  • 3 garlic cloves , minced
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chili flakes from Homemade Chili Oil (*Footnote 2)
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (*Footnote 3)
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup bell peppers , sliced
  • 1/2 cup peanuts , roasted
  • Toasted sesame seeds for garnish (Optional)

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add potato and stir a few times to coat evenly with oil. Add 1/4 cup water and cover immediately. Steam for 1 minute, or until the potato just starts to get tender. Transfer to a plate.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of oil into the same pan. Spread pastrami with minimum overlapping. Let cook without touching until the bottom side turns golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 1 minute. Turn to medium heat if the pan gets too hot.
  • Add the rest of the oil, celery, the white part of the green onion, Sichuan peppercorns, and chili peppers. Cook and stir for a minute, until the chili peppers turn dark brown, but not burned. Add the garlic and stir a few times.
  • Add the cooked potato. Stir for a minute, or until the potatoes are cooked but still crunchy.
  • Add the chili flakes/crisp, soy sauce and stock. Bring to a boil. Add back the pastrami, bell peppers, the green part of the green onion, and peanuts. Stir a few times to mix well. Transfer to a plate immediately.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds and serve hot as main.

Notes

  1. The original cookbook said cut the pastrami to 1/2-inch cubes, so the pastrami won’t fall apart easily. I cannot get my pastrami sliced in thick pieces at my grocery store, hence the thinner slices.
  2. If you happen to have Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp (The Godmother Brand), use it instead of the chili flakes.
  3. You can use regular soy sauce to replace light soy sauce. For a gluten free dish, use tamari to replace light soy sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving of the 4 servings, Calories: 383kcal, Carbohydrates: 22.3g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 23.8g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 1149mg, Potassium: 786mg, Fiber: 3.6g, Sugar: 3.4g