Stir-Fried Cashew Nuts Chicken 腰果鸡丁- 五谷丰登

Stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts is a timeless classic dish with gorgeous colors and tastes - it's quick and easy to make,  perfect for a weeknight dinner.  This dish is popular among Chinese people also because of its symbolic meaning.  It means "a bumper grain harvest" -  wǔ gǔ fēng dēng (五谷丰登) in Chinese.

Another saying is, cashew nut (腰果) resembles gold because the nut's shape symbolises the ingot of ancient times. So, we cook this dish during Chinese New Year in a bid to get wealthy.

Besides its prosperous name, this recipe gives bland chicken breast a complete flavor makeover. Marinade the chicken pieces in soy sauce, fish sauce, salt,  pepper,  egg and corn starch mixture. This spices up the chicken breast. On a stove with really hot flame, stir fry with spring onion, red pepper and roasted cashew nuts, it's so quick to cook. Served with steamed rice,   cashew nut chicken stir-fry becomes a fantastic meal to remember.



STIR-FRIED CASHEW NUTS CHICKEN
(Recipe adapted from BBC Food)

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 300g skinless chicken breast, cut to bite-sized pieces

Marinade:

• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• a few dash of white pepper powder
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• pinch of salt, to taste

For the stir fry

• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 red pepper, de-seeded, sliced into strips
• 3 slices ginger sliced to thin strips
• 3 stalks scallions (spring onions) ends trimmed and cut to 5cm (2 inch) length

Seasoning:

• 1 teaspoon LEE KUM KEE oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup of water
• 4 tablespoons roasted cashew nuts

Directions:

1. For the chicken, place the chicken pieces into a bowl. Add marinade, egg and the cornflour.  Mix well to combine. Set aside and marinate for 10 minutes
2. Heat a wok until smoking and add the vegetable oil. Fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes,  or until chicken pieces are golden-brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
3. For the stir fry, pour off all the oil from the wok, except for one tablespoon. Reheat the oil over a high heat, add the ginger stir fry for 20 seconds. Add the red pepper slices and bottom white ends of the scallions. Stir fry for one minute, or until softened.
4. Add the chicken pieces and stir fry for 1-2 minutes, stir in the spring onions and cashew nuts. Add seasoning. Simmer for another minute, or until the chicken is cooked through.
5. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

 

I am linking this post to Cook and Celebrate CNY : 2015 organised by Yen of Eat Your Heart Out , Zoe of Bake For happy Kids and Diana of Domestic Goddess Wannabe.

I am also linking this post to PureBlogLove Link Party,  Weekend Potluck.