Cashew Nut Chicken (yiu Gwoh Gai)

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Title: CASHEW NUT CHICKEN (YIU GWOH GAI)
Categories: Chinese, Chicken
Yield: 8 servings

3 lb Chicken or 2 whole chicken
- breasts
1/4 lb Raw cashew nuts
20 sm Chinese mushrooms (or 1
- medium-size can mushrooms)
4 Stalks celery
1/2 c Bamboo shoot tips (water
- packed in 15 oz-can)
1 Yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 tb Oil, approximately
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Sugar
2 c Chicken stock
1 tb Cornstarch
2 tb Water

-------------------------MARINADE-------------------------
3/4 ts Salt
1/2 ts Sugar
1 ts Thin soy sauce
1 tb Oyster sauce
Dash of pepper
1 tb Cornstarch
2 Green onions, slivered
3 Thin slices ginger root,
- slivered
2 c Oil for deep-frying

1. Skin and bone chicken. Cut into 2" x 1/2" pieces.

2. Sprinkle the chicken with each of the ingredients
listed under "marinade," mix well, then add the green
onions and ginger. Marinate for 1 hour.

3. Heat 2 cups oil to 325 degrees and deep-fry cashew
nuts for 5 minutes, drain and salt lightly.

4. Boil Chinese mushrooms for 10 minutes, rinse,
squeeze dry, cut off and discard stems. If you use
canned mushrooms, omit this step.

5. Cut celery into 1 1/2" pieces, then cut each piece
lengthwise into strips, julienne style.

6. Cut bamboo shoot tips into thin slices.

7. Peel water chestnuts (using potato peeler) and cut
a little off the top and the bottom of each one. Then
cut them into thin slices and soak in water to prevent
them from turning dark. (Canned water chestnuts are
already peeled.)

8. Heat wok, add 1 t. oil and stir-fry the bamboo tips
and water chestnuts together, if you use fresh water
chestnuts. (If canned ones are used, stir-fry them
separately in 1 teaspoon oil for 1-2 minutes, adding 2
teaspoons sugar.) Set aside.

9. Heat wok, add 1 teaspoon oil and stir-fry
mushrooms, celery and yellow onion for 3 minutes, with
1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Set aside.

10. Heat wok, add 2 tablespoons oil and stir-fry
marinated chicken for 3 minutes. Add chicken stock,
cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.

11. Add vegetables which have been previously set
aside and bring to a fast boil.

12. Thicken with a mixture made with the cornstarch
and 2 tablespoon cold water. Bring to a boil, cook
for 1 minute and turn off the heat.

13. Add cashew nuts, mix thoroughly, and serve.

Serve alone, or with rice.

SOURCE: Chopsticks, Clever and Wok.

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