Who needs Chinese take-out when you can make cashew chicken just as fast and tasty at home?
For a quick and easy side dish, separate 1 pound broccoli into small florets. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the broccoli, and cook just until bright green and tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain well, place in a dish, drizzle lightly with soy sauce and chili or sesame oil, toss and serve.
Recipe Courtesy of Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Williams-Sonoma Collection: Asian
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 cup salted roasted cashews
- Steamed rice for serving
Preparation
- 1 MARINATE THE CHICKEN: In a large bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, the wine and ginger. Stir in the chicken to coat evenly and set aside for 15 minutes.
- 2 MAKE THE SAUCE: In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons water, the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the Worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch, and stir to dissolve the sugar and cornstarch.
- 3 STIR-FRY THE CHICKEN: Heat a wok or large fry pan over high heat until very hot and add 2 tablespoons of the corn oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, draining it well, and discard the marinade. Add the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until opaque, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl.
- 4 Return the wok to medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon corn oil. Add the green onions and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Return the chicken to the wok and add the cashews. Give the sauce a quick stir, add to the pan and stir until the sauce thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately with the steamed rice. Serves 4.
