Whenever we eat out at a Chinese restaurant, my son Jack goes for the same things: dumplings, rice and chicken with cashew nuts — and I reckon he has pretty good taste. That slightly toasted flavour of the cashew is delicious and I have yet to meet a kid who doesn’t like it. The added extra in this recipe is the Shaoxing rice wine, which gives this dish its authentic taste.
Chicken and cashew nuts
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
600g boneless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced
1 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil
¾ cup roasted cashew nuts
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 spring onions, sliced on an angle (optional)
What to do
Place the chicken and cornflour in a plastic bag and shake to coat.
Heat a wok on high and add half the oil. As it begins to shimmer, add the chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until almost cooked. Remove and set aside.
Return the wok to the heat. Add the remaining oil and the nuts. Stir-fry for about a minute, then add the rice wine and soy sauce. Bring to the boil and add the chicken and half the spring onions if using. Stir-fry for another minute or until the chicken is cooked through.
Taste — you may need to add a tablespoon of water if it’s too salty. Serve with steamed rice or noodles, sprinkled with the remaining spring onions or garnished with coriander leaves.
From Brett McGregor’s A Taste of Home (photography by Aaron McLean).
