Cashew Chicken

Lately, several people have asked me for recipes that are quick and easy. I agree that we need foods that are interesting, tasty and healthful, but that do not require an unreasonable investment in time, especially on a daily basis. After all, most of us cannot commit hours of a day to prepare dinner, especially after a day’s work. We may find ourselves caught in a mealtime rush hour.

Stir-fries can meet the requirements of an evening meal that is interesting, tasty and healthful. They may include ingredients that we may not use regularly, making them interesting. These can ingredients make them tasty and they can be made healthful with lean meats and fresh vegetables.

Cashew Chicken is a dish that I order when at a restaurant that has it on the menu. I love the flavorful sauce, the tender chicken and the crunch of the roasted cashews and I admit that I love anything served over rice. The dish is simple to make at home, too, with just a few ingredients. Serving the Cashew Chicken over rice makes this dish a complete meal.

From start to finish, dinner can be on the table in about 20 minutes.

The chicken is precooked in boiling water for this dish. This gets it ready for stir-frying and keeps it tender and moist.

One of the ingredients in the recipe is fresh ginger. Fresh ginger can be purchased in the produce department of most supermarkets. It is a brown root that should be firm, not shriveled. Once purchased, it can be wrapped and stored in the freezer for longer life. When needed, a chunk of the tuber can be cut off and the remainder re-wrapped and put back into the freezer.

Another ingredient in the recipe is toasted sesame oil. Using it will add flavor to the dish, but if you don’t have it in the pantry, an oil like canola or peanut oil can be used instead.

The scallions (green onions) are added at the end of cooking and add freshness to the dish.

Serve this dish over rice for a quick and delicious meal.

CASHEW CHICKEN

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

¾ cup roasted cashews

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce

1 cup sliced scallions

Cook chicken in a saucepan of boiling salted water until cooked through, 4 – 5 minutes; drain.

Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high. Add cashews; stir-fry until fragrant, 1 minute. Add ginger and stir-fry 30 seconds. Stir in soy sauce and chili garlic sauce, then add cooked chicken; stir-fry 2 minutes more. Stir in scallions.

Source: tuscaloosanews.com