Kung Pao Wow
Hailing from South-Western China and also known as Gong Bao or Kung Po, this dish is a Sichuan classic. It is said to be named after the rescuer of late Qing Dynasty governor Ding Bhaozen, who fell into water as a young boy and was saved by a local called Gongbao Jiding. When the governor visited him years later to give thanks, he was served a delicious dish of diced chicken, peanuts and spicy Sichuan peppercorns. He asked for the recipe and served it often, and so Gongbao spread its wings. Our plant-based sweet potato version is high in beta carotene, marrying sweet ground peanut with zingy Sichuan peppercorns, Chinese five spice, fresh lime and fermented black bean. Stir fried celery and long bean carry fresh crunch and nutrients, topped with calcium-rich black sesame and roast cashews sweetened with agave for a low glycemic load.