Recipe: Cashew Chicken

Stacy — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:58:33 +0000

I think I’ve noted previously that I could happily exist on Chinese food, with the occasional steak thrown in now and then. The rest of the family, not so much. Because they’re picky bastards, that’s why. When we order Chinee both the Husband and Boychild get cashew chicken, albeit WITHOUT any veg.

No vegetables, just nuts. Just nuts? Yes, just the nuts.

Conveying this point to the inevitable Mandarin-speakers has been something of an adventure, so I’m always on the lookout for a recipe we can make at home. This one was pretty dang tasty…

Ingredients

4lbs chicken breast, cubed
1 cup cashews
1 small onion, chopped small

Marinade

1 tsp baking soda
5 tsp corn starch
3 tbsp rice wine

Sauce

4 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp water
3 dashes white pepper
4 tsp sugar
4 tbsp rice wine
salt to taste

Start by “marinating” the chicken pieces in just the baking soda for 15 minutes. (This makes for that silky texture you get in Chinee food.) Rinse the chicken thoroughly then add the corn starch/rice wine mixture and let marinate for another 15 minutes.

Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Heat up your wok pan with 2 tbsp cooking oil and fry the chicken until the surface is white, then remove from the pan.

Add another tbsp of oil and saute the onion until soft, then add the cashews. Stir them around a bit, then add the chicken and sauce.

Simmer, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with rice or noodles.

Recipe: Broccoli Beef

Stacy — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:50:53 +0000

I love Chinese food. I mean I LOOOOOVE Chinese food, would gleefully eat it at least four five six nights a week. But alas my picky family just won’t put up with that – plus, hey, EXPENSIVE! – so I have to sneak it in where I can. And cooking it myself at home makes it that much easier!

Ingredients

(these specific proportions served three)

1 LB london broil (our fave) or flank steak
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c mirin (sweet cooking wine)
1 tsp grated ginger root
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp corn starch
1/4 c water
broccoli
water chestnuts
sesame oil
sesame seeds

Cut up the meat in 1 1/2″ x 1/4″ pieces. Combine the soy sauce, mirin, ginger, sugar, garlic, corn starch and water in a bowl. Add the meat and make sure everything is submerged. Let marinate at least a half hour.

Drain the meat thoroughly, reserving the marinade. Add 1/4 c sesame oil to your favorite skillet and heat it to full wack. I usually also add the Holy Trinity (salt, pepper, garlic powder) to the oil as it is heating, and you can either add the sesame seeds now (toasting them in the pan) or later.

Brown the meat, about 1 minute on each side, then add the broccoli, water chestnuts, and the remaining marinade. Let this cook until the broccoli turns bright green (but not limp fer crissakes) and the sauce begins to thicken. Serve over your favorite rice and enjoy!

Sorry there’s no pictures, we were TOO HANGRY!

Florida Backyard » chinese

Recipe: Cashew Chicken

Ingredients

Recipe: Broccoli Beef