Name: Kung Pao Chicken with Cashews
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 150 g chicken; 0.75 clove garlic; 5 g ginger; 0.25 pcs carrot; 0.5 pcs celery; 1 pc spring onion; 1.5 pcs chilli peppers; 3 pcs sichuan pepper; 17.5 g cashew nuts; peanut oil; 0.75 tablespoon soy sauce; 0.375 tablespoon rice vinegar; 0.5 tablespoon honey; 30 ml poultry stock; 0.5 teaspoon cornstarch; 0.25 teaspoon sesame oil; 0.25 pinch black pepper; 75 g jasmine rice; water

Step by step process

Preparation

1
Trim the chicken thigh meat and cut into pieces about 2-3 cm in size.
TIP:
Rinse and pat dry the meat, cut across the grain into 2-3 cm pieces, and keep a sharp knife. Aim for pieces of even thickness so the meat cooks evenly.
2
Peel the carrot and slice thinly. slice the celery on the diagonal into pieces. Slice the spring onion on the diagonal and separate the white and green parts. Finely chop the garlic and ginger.
3
In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, chicken stock, cornstarch, sesame oil and a pinch of ground pepper until smooth.
TIP:
Whisk the eggs, then gradually add the yogurt and oil while whisking thoroughly. If the ingredients don't combine smoothly, slow down the addition or gently warm the eggs.
4
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the prepared sauce, toss it with the chicken and let it marinate briefly for 10-15 minutes so the meat is coated and tender.
5
Place the jasmine rice in a sieve and rinse under cold water several times until it runs almost clear, then drain well. If using dried chilies, split them and remove some seeds for milder heat. lightly crush the Sichuan pepper in a mortar.
TIP:
Soak dried chili peppers in hot water for 10-20 minutes to soften them and better release their aroma. This will improve the taste and texture of sauces and marinades.

Cooking

6
Transfer the rice to a pot, add the measured water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 12 minutes. then remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes more.
7
Heat the wok over high heat, add the peanut oil and throw in the Sichuan pepper and dried chilies. briefly toast for 20-30 seconds to release their aroma.
8
Add the marinated chicken, spread into a single layer and sear for 3-4 minutes until golden. Remove to a plate.
9
If needed, add a little more oil to the wok, add the garlic, ginger and the white part of the spring onion, and stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.
10
Add the carrot and celery and stir-fry on high heat for 2-3 minutes so the vegetables stay crisp.
11
Return the chicken to the wok, pour in the remaining sauce and stir until it thickens and coats everything in a glossy glaze, about 1-2 minutes. stir in the cashews and half the green part of the spring onion.

Serving

12
Divide the hot rice between plates, top with a portion of Kung Pao chicken, sprinkle with the remaining green part of the spring onion and serve immediately.