Cashew Chicken

How do you get an idea in your head and it just won't leave? For whatever reason, I had a craving for cashew chicken with green peppers. Oddly enough, I had a bit of trouble finding a recipe which included green peppers. I thought that was kinda standard of cashew chicken. Anyway, this is a very simple recipe (with one odd step I had never heard of before) and outstanding results. And the cold leftovers made a mighty tasty snack, too!

CASHEW CHICKEN (serves 2)

8 oz chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup cashews
1/2 small green pepper, cut into small squares
about a tsp of finely minced fresh ginger
4 oz mushrooms, quartered
1/4 sweet onion, chopped

Marinade:

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp rice wine vinegar

Sauce:

1 tsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp water
2 dashes white pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp rice wine vinegar
1/8 tsp sesame oil
Salt to taste

Marinate the chicken meat with the baking soda for 15-20 minutes and then thoroughly rinse chicken, leaving NO baking soda.

Pat the chicken meat dry with paper towels and then marinate with the corn starch and vinegar.

Mix the sauce together and set aside.

Heat up a skillet with 1/2 Tbsp cooking oil (I used Pam) and stir-fry the chicken meat until the color turns white and is half-cooked. Dish out and set aside.

Add a bit more oil (or Pam) then add ginger, bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions.

Stir-fry until you smell the peppery aroma from the green peppers and add the chicken meat back in.

Add in the cashews and do a few quick stirs.

Add in the sauce and stir continuously until the chicken is cooked and well-coated with the sauce. Add salt to taste.

I served this over brown rice and also made some egg-drop soup.