Kung Pao Chickpeas made in the Instant Pot! Chickpeas cooked in a sweet and salty sauce and topped with crunchy peanuts! This vegan dish pairs well with rice.
1cupdried chickpeassoaked overnight, 200 grams, or use 2.5 cups cooked chickpeas from can
4tablespoonssoy sauce60 ml, I used 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce and 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1tablespoonhoisin sauce15 ml
1tablespoonrice vinegar
1tablespoonrice wine (mirin)15 ml
1teaspoonsriracha5 ml, or any hot sauce of choice, add more to taste
1teaspoontoasted sesame oil5 ml
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
1tablespoonoil15 ml, I used avocado oil
1inchgingerfinely chopped
4largegarlic clovesfinely chopped
2wholedried red chilies
1mediumyellow onionchopped
1cupwater8 oz
1smallred bell peppercut in square
1smallgreen bell peppercut in square
2stalksgreen onionchopped
1/4cuproasted peanutsunsalted
1.5 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Soak chickpeas overnight in 3 to 4 cups water before you start. In the morning drain the water in which the chickpeas were soaked and rinse them. Set aside.
In a bowl or glass jar, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sriracha, toasted sesame oil and brown sugar. Set aside.
Press the saute button on the Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add the oil and then add the chopped ginger, garlic, dried red chilies and chopped onion. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Then add the soaked and drained chickpeas to the pot and toss to combine. Stir in the prepared sauce.
Then add 1 cup of water. Scrape the bottom to make sure there's nothing stuck at the bottom of the pan.
Close the pot with its lid. Press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes with the pressure valve in the sealing position. Let the pressure release naturally. Do 10 minutes high pressure if using canned chickpeas.
Open the lid and then press the saute button. Add the peppers, green onion and half of the roasted peanuts. Let is simmer on "saute mode" for 3 to 4 minutes until peppers soften a little.
Then make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1.5 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and add it to the pot. The sauce will thicken, simmer one more minute. You may also add salt at this point if you want, I did not add any since the salt in the sauces was enough for me.
Stir in the remaining roasted peanuts, garnish with more green onions and serve kung pao chickpeas with rice.
Stir in the remaining roasted peanuts, garnish with more green onions and serve kung pao chickpeas with rice.
Notes
You can use regular soy sauce only if you don't have dark soy sauce.
If you don't have mirin, use an extra tablespoon of rice vinegar.
If you don't have hoisin sauce, use any other sweet sauce like a sweet barbecue sauce and add some hot sauce to it and then use in the recipe. Although best would be to use hoisin sauce.
The cooking time may seem long but it's all hands-free cooking time. Since we are using raw chickpeas, they take time to pressure cook.