Chicken with Cashew Nuts

Chicken

• chicken breasts600 g
• egg whites1
• cornflour2 tbsp
• Shaoxing wine1 tbsp
• salt½ tsp
• vegetable oil4 tbsp

Stir-fry

• cashew nuts120 g
• celery sticks3
• water chestnuts150 g
• spring onions4
• garlic cloves3
• ginger20 g
• oyster sauce2 tbsp
• light soy sauce1 tbsp
• chicken stock100 ml
• caster sugar1 tsp
• cornflour1 tsp
• sesame oil1 tsp
• water1 tbsp

Chicken

1. 01

   Cut the chicken breasts into 2 cm cubes and mix them with the egg white, the cornflour, the wine and the salt and leave for 20 minutes. This velveting is what gives the silky texture restaurants get. While it rests, thinly slice the garlic and ginger, slice the celery on the angle and the water chestnuts, and cut the spring onions into 4 cm lengths.

2. 02

   Toast the unsalted cashews in a dry pan over low heat until golden, and set aside.

3. 03

   Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok and cook the chicken over medium heat, separating the pieces, for 2 to 3 minutes until just white. Lift it out.

Stir-fry

4. 04

   Wipe the wok, add the rest of the vegetable oil and fry the sliced garlic and ginger for 15 seconds.

5. 05

   Add the celery sliced on the angle and the sliced water chestnuts and stir-fry for 90 seconds. They should stay crunchy — that texture is most of the point.

6. 06

   Mix the oyster sauce, soy, stock and sugar and pour it in, bringing it to the boil.

7. 07

   Mix the remaining 1 tsp of cornflour with the water and stir it in to thicken, then return the chicken and toss for 1–2 minutes, until it is cooked through with no pink in the middle.

8. 08

   Kill the heat and fold in the cashews and the spring onion lengths, with the sesame oil.