RECIPE: I made this for dinner tonight. REC: Kung Pao Chicken with Cashews

[dawn_mo]

This was a really good base. My girlfriend used to make this for us, and I don't know what kind of tweaks she made. This is the cookbook I bought on Ebay, thanks to Gayle's great idea.

I put my changes in parenthesis. I thought it really needed the sweetness from the hoisin sauce.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Kung Pao Chicken with Cashews

Recipe By : Make It Miami/Cindi R.

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

2 tablespoons soy sauce1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon dry sherry

3 tablespoons chicken broth

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, skinned boned and cut into bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons peanut oil -- divided use

6 small dry , hot chile peppers (smileys/bigeyes.gif

1/2 cup cashews (1 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger -- or to taste

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (2 tsp)

2 whole scallions -- cut in 1/2" slices (one bunch)

1 can sliced water chestnuts -- drained

(2 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce, if a little sweetness is desired)

cooked rice

Cooking sauce:

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon dry sherry, 3 tablespoons chicken broth and 2 teaspoons each sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine 1 tablespoon sherry, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon white pepper. Add chicken and coat well. Stir in 1 tablespoon peanut oil, and let stand 15 minutes to marinate.

Heat wok over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil. Add chile peppers and nuts; stir until peppers begin to char. Remove and set aside. Add remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil and increase heat to high. When oil is heated, add ginger and garlic. Stir once; add chicken. Stir fry unti chicken is done. Add remaining ingredients. Stir cooking sauce and add to wok. Cook, stirring until sauce bubbles and thickens. Serve over steamed rice.

Source:

"Make it Miami"

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[cheezz]

Yes, this is almost the same as I do - YUM!

 

[dawn_mo]

I made this again for dinner, by request,

mine, and changed a couple things. Mostly the cooking order. After I browned the chiles (I used the ones that Marilyn sent me, I can't remember the name of them)and I used at least 10, I added the chicken and cooked that until it was almost done. Then I added the onions, garlic and ginger and cooked them for a minute or so. Added back the chiles and cashews, and finally the cooking sauce, which I added about 1/2 teaspoon of dried chile flakes and finished it up. It was a little spicier than the last time, and I liked it like that. The onions and garlic has a more pronounced flavor which I also liked, especially if you love the flavor of garlic. I might cut the hoisin back to 1 1/2 tablespoons, but I like it a little on the sweeter side. It was really good, and by far the best Chinese food I have had since I moved to MO.

 

[cheezz]

The cooking order is how I do it - but I add the cashews just before plating

The garlic doesn't need to be cooked so much or it will get bitter, so your adding it later is smart.