Chinese chicken, prawn and lap cheong stuffed peppers

Method

1. Put a frying pan over a medium heat and add 1 tbsp of the oil. Add the lap cheong and fry for 3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and crisp. Lift out into a bowl.
2. Put the chicken in a food processor and pulse to a coarse paste. Add the prawns and pulse again to create a smoother paste. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the 2 tbsp oil and the peppers) with a pinch of salt. Pulse until everything is combined into a smooth paste, then tip into the bowl with the lap cheong and mix to combine. Keep in the fridge until needed.
3. Remove the stalks and seeds from the peppers, then follow the lines of the peppers to cut into segments. Cut each segment into similar-size pieces (around 7cm – we got 22 pieces in total). Dust the inside of each piece with a little cornflour, then spoon in the filling, pressing the mixture down so it’s flush with the edges of the pepper.
Recipe continues after advertising
Advertisement
4. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a large wide frying pan over a low heat, then put the peppers in, filling-side down. If you can’t fit them all in a single layer, work in batches or use a second pan. Turn the heat up to medium, cook for 1 minute, then cover and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. Remove the lid, flip the pieces over, then cook for another 5 minutes, occasionally gently shaking the pan, until the filling is cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, then fry the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken stock, oyster sauce and sesame oil, mix to combine, then bring to a simmer. Gradually stir in the cornflour slurry until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (you might not need all the cornflour slurry).
6. Transfer the peppers to a serving platter, then pour over the sauce. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice (if you like).