STIR-FRIED SICHUAN CHICKEN

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I felt really privileged when Jez gave me access to his bible of recipes a few months back, and have been working my way through hundreds of mouth-watering dishes, like this month's 'Stir-Fried Sichuan Chicken'.

 

I thought I'd give this one a go as I needed another recipe using Sichuan peppercorns in my repertoire. I went to the Chinese supermarket to get some earlier this year but came back with a huge industrial-sized bag, so have been looking for ways to use them up ever since!

This was a delicious meal and really easy to make. The way the chicken is marinated with the corn flour helps seal the meat and keeps it tender and succulent. Meanwhile, the crushed Sichuan peppercorns, garlic and chilli bean paste add a little fire and transform the dish into something that tastes like its straight out of central China!

What's more, this recipe couldn't be simpler: it looks like a lot of ingredients but once everything's prepped, the cooking doesn't take very long. After all, as Jez always says, "the prep accounts for 90% of the work in Chinese cooking!"

PREPARATION

1. Start off by covering the chicken with 'the marinade' ingredients (corn flour last), massaging well to coat. Set aside. (I would recommend using tasty thigh meat in this dish instead of breast but you can use whatever you like).

COOKING

2. Next, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok to a high heat then, once smoking hot, add the onions and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

3. Push the onions to the side of the wok and add an extra tablespoon of oil to the centre and bring up to a high heat before adding your crushed peppercorns, garlic and chicken.

4. Stir-fry until the chicken has turned golden brown then add the cashew nuts and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.

5. Next, add the chilli, along with all of 'the sauce' ingredients, to the wok and continue to cook on a high heat. Add the spring onion and a drop of sesame oil to finish.

[Jez's tip: "If sauce is too thick, add a dash of hot water to the wok whilst cooking the meat through. If too thin, use corn flour paste to thicken"]

That's it!

This meal really was a doddle to make and took no time at all. If you want to learn how to cook quick and tasty dishes like this, get down to School of Wok for a one-hour quickfire session, a three-hour masterclass or a full-day cookery course. Check out the classes page for more details.

So Jez...what do you think?