Poultry Recipes - Cashew Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• 450g/1lb skinless chicken breast fillets

• 1 red (bell) pepper

• 2 garlic cloves

• 4 dried red chilies

• 30ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 30ml/2 tbsp oyster sauce

• 15ml/1 tbsp soy sauce

• Pinch of sugar

• 1 bunch spring onions (scallions), cut into 5cm/2in lengths

• 175g/6oz cashew nuts, roasted

• coriander (cilantro) leaves, to garnish

Serves 4-6

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Method:

1. Remove and discard the skin from the chicken breast fillets and trim off any excess fat With a sharp knife, cut the chicken into bite size pieces and set aside.

2. Halve the red pepper, scrape out the seeds and membranes and discard, then cut the flesh into 2cm/1/2 in dice. Peel and thinly slice the garlic and chop the dried red chilies.

3. Preheat a wok and then heat the oil. The best way to do this is to drizzle a "necklace" of oil around the inner rim of the wok, so that it drops down to coat the entire inner surface. Make sure the coating is even by swirling the wok.

4. Add the garlic and dried chilies to the wok and stir-fry over a medium heat until golden. Do not let the garlic bum, otherwise it will taste bitter.

5. Add the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until it is cooked through, then add the red pepper. If the mixture is very dry, add a little water.

6. Stir in the oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Add the spring onions and cashew nuts. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes more, until heated through.

7. Spoon into a warm dish and serve immediately, garnished with the coriander leaves.

Note: One of the most popular items on any Chinese restaurant menu, Cashew Chicken is easy to recreate at home.