Ingredients:

1 T soy sauce, low sodium
1 T Chinese rice wine
1/4 t sesame oil
1 t cornstarch
1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 T peanut oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 large green bell pepper, sliced into 1 inch pieces
8 oz baby or regular bok choy, sliced on diagonal
8 oz sliced water chestnuts
1/4 cup soy sauce, low sodium
2 T Chinese rice wine
2 T oyster sauce
2 t sesame oil
2 t sweet chili sauce
2 t cornstarch
1 cup roasted cashews

Spoon Mage™ Note:

bowls of ingredients ready to wok!

For most wokked meals, it is good to do all the preparation ahead of time. Before cooking line up all the little bowls in order of ingredient appearance. Veggies are combined in separate bowls according to how long they cook. Onions and green peppers take longer than leafy green veggies. Wokking is a fast thing and there is no time to correct for a missing ingredient. In this recipe, the bowl order is: oil, garlic, marinated chicken, onion with pepper, bok choy with water chestnuts, stir-fry sauce, and cashews.

Buy good quality soy sauce. If you have an Asian market nearby, check it out. Or take a look down the International Aisle of your grocers.

Start the wok over high heat. With each addition of ingredients, the temperature will reduce to medium-high. If you start off at medium-high, the wok will reduce to medium which is not hot enough to properly wok, and why many home wokked meals end up mushy instead of crispy. Once the bulk of the ingredients are added, you may reduce the burner to medium-high (to avoid smoking) and then after the sauce is added, reduce to medium for a final hard simmer. This is a good rule of thumb for all wokking.

Use two spoons and stir using a folding motion to keep the food moving in the very hot wok. Speed is not as critical. Just move things about.

Real Cashew Chicken does not use as many vegetables as are included here. Always add more vegetables. They are good for you as well as delicious. You are not bound by my addition of baby bok choy and water chestnuts. Add your favorite.

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, combine the marinade ingredients: 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, sesame oil, and 1 t cornstarch. Stir well to dissolve the cornstarch.

Add the cut up chicken and mix it all together with your hands to make sure that all the chicken chunks are covered. Let the marinade work for about 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Mince the garlic and place in a small bowl.

Cut the onion and bell pepper and place in a bowl.

Rinse, dry, and slice the baby bok choy, open and drain the can of water chestnuts and place in a bowl.

Mix together the stir-fry sauce ingredients: 1/4 cup soy sauce, rice wine, oyster sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce, and cornstarch. Again, stir and smash those cornstarch lumps until they dissolve.

Measure the cashews.

Heat a wok over high heat until the surface is very hot, then add the peanut oil, giving it a swirl to coat the wok. Wait 15 seconds.

Add the garlic and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Do not stop stirring or the garlic may burn.

Add the chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Add the onions and bell peppers and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Add the bok choy and water chestnuts. Reduce temperature to medium-high and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Add the stir-fry sauce mixture, stirring well to coat the ingredients. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes while you get the rest of your meal on the table.

Stir in the cashews and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Those that like spicy foods may appreciate an assortment of hot chili sauces to add at the table.