My sister in law, Raluca, gave me a beautiful red Le Creuset Wok the last time she and her husband were here for a visit. I was giddy with happiness at this gift, as I had been wanting it for a long time. Then, sadly, I made one mediocre stirfry after the next. It took several uses to both get it perfectly seasoned and figure out the perfect temperature and recipe. I have now officially mastered my wok!

This Kung Pao recipe is adapted from about 4 other recipes I have come across online. The last couple times I’ve made it, its gotten better and better, resulting in a glossy dark sauce with a nice kick of heat. I searched high and low for the dried red chili peppers that you see in many Chinese dishes and finally found them at, of course, Whole Foods. You can always use crushed red pepper, but I just like the heat and the look of the red chili peppers.
{ Read the rest }