Stir-fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts

Cashews for many people are thought of as a snack. However, cashews are also a popular ingredient of many exotic dishes, contributing to the deliciousness. One of these dishes is Stir-fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts - a famous delicacy of many Asian street food vendors. Each Asian country will have slightly different ways to make a sauce, but the method is very much the same. If spicy taste is your choice, then choose the Thai style. For this recipe, I like to use the sauce balanced between the Chinese and the Thai sauce. I am Vietnamese, but I think this dish is originally from China. The roasted cashew nuts recipe is such a combination, bursting with flavors and adding more protein for this dish. Of course, this dish can be easily turned into a vegetarian dish by using tofu instead of chicken. Because we live in America and not in other countries, such as Vietnam or other Asian countries, we can use the already roasted cashew nuts sold in the supermarket to save time for making this dish . This dish is rich in nutritional value and not only favored for its delicious taste.  The effects of cashews are extremely diverse. They are not only rich in protein, cashews are also a rich source of fiber that is effective in improving constipation. The fiber in cashews helps you feel full for a long time, thereby reducing the amount of starch and hunger pains, which is good support for the weight loss process. What's better than when a meal is both delicious and healthy?

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast, washed and diced

1/2 cup roasted cashew nuts

Marinade ingredients:

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 tbs oil

Vegetables:

1 carrot, sliced into 1/2 thick coins (about 1/2 cup)

Red and green bell pepper diced same size as chicken (about 1 cup)

Spices:

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 piece fresh ginger peel and smashed

1/2 cup diced white onions

2 green onions separate the white part and sliced.

Sauce ingredients:

1/3 cup water

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp black strap molasses

1 tsp black vinegar

1 tsp cooking wine

1 tsp mushroom seasoning or chicken powder

Other requirements:

Chopped cilantro and oil for cooking

Cooked rice

Directions:

Add the chicken with the marinade ingredients and mix well. Let the mixture marinate for 30 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch the carrot in the boiling water for 1 minute. Drain.

In a wok, add 1 tbs oil and heat until hot. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink or gets brown. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, add 1 tsp oil and add spices. Stir and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).

Stir in carrots and bell pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. 

Return the chicken to the wok and add the sauce. Stir and cook until the sauce has thickened; Stir in the cashew nuts. Adjust the seasoning to your liking. Turn off the heat and add the green parts of scallion and cilantro.

Serve with rice.