Culinary Column: Semi—Sweet Cashew Chicken

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When your food is prettier than you...

The origin of this recipe comes from once upon a chef, but I altered some of the ingredients. The sauce is more sweet and decadent, this allows you to taste all the layers of the dish. This recipe is one of my favorites and I sincerely hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
•  2 tablespoons of water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ¼ cup of honey
• 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce, best quality such as Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 8 scallions (1 bunch), white and green parts separated, each cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Place the cashews on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast in the oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside; they will crisp up as they cool.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together the water, cornstarch, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and honey. Set aside.
4. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.
5. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over high heat until very hot. Add half of the chicken to the skillet and stir-fry until lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
6. Add the remaining tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet; then add the remaining chicken, garlic and white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry until the chicken is lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and add the rice vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. This goes very quickly.
7. Add the sauce mixture to the chicken; cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is as thick as desired, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens, cashews and sesame oil. Serve immediately.

The website I got the majority of this recipe from recommends this dish is served with jasmine rice, and I absolutely agree! White rice will suffice, but jasmine rice is the best with Cashew Chicken. Good luck, and have fun cooking!