新年快乐

With the year of the Rooster almost on us what better way to get in the mood than to cook this fabulous often take-away dish at home. The Chinese New Year is all about family and spending time with the important people in your life. I couldn’t agree more. So if you are looking for a little inspiration of where to begin tomorrow, then here is your recipe. Minimum prep is needed just a little grocery list. You may have most of the ingredients in your larder already. All you need then is a fresh Rooster, sorry a fresh chicken.

The Ingredients:

3 Chicken breasts

3 tbsp Soy sauce

1 tbsp Cornflour

3 tbsp Chinese rice wine vinegar ( Shaoxing )

2 tbsp Sugar

1/2 cup of chicken stock

3 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar ( Balsamic soy sauce mix works well too )

3 tbsp Groundnut oil

10  red hot chillies

6 Spring onions chopped ( keep some for garnish )

2 Garlic cloves chopped finely

1 inch cube of Ginger chopped finely

1/2 cup of Cashews nuts

Serve with boiled rice

Increase the ingredients if you are cooking for a large party

The Make:

In a large bowl add the chopped chicken breast. Mix the cornflour and soy sauce together and pour this mixture over the chicken and stir. Cover this bowl and allow the chicken to marinate for at least half an hour. Separately pour the rice wine vinegar, sugar, Chinkiang vinegar, chicken stock, groundnut oil into a bowl and mix. Now grab a large wok or frying pan and heat little oil. Add in the chopped chillies, spring onions, garlic and ginger. Allow these to cook off a little. Now add in the chicken and the marinade. Stir this all together. You can now pour in the rice wine mixture along with the cashew nuts. Keep an eye on the dish now making sure the chicken is cooked and you don’t burn the sauce. When you are ready to serve up the dish garnish each bowl with some thinly sliced spring onions.

Xinnian Kuaile and Enjoy.