Cashew Chicken Recipe

Fun Cooking Monday
originally posted Monday, 24 September 2007

Lisa at the Food Snob is hosting this week's Fun Monday; don’t forget to visit her site to see a list of participants. She got us back in the kitchen and I know you will be as shocked as I was at her request ;)

I want to see your favorite recipe, be it either because your grandmother wrote it, it's the easiest thing you can slap together that everyone likes, it makes you feel healthy, it's cheap, etc. You don't have to make it (although you could if you want) but let us see the index card, cookbook, printed paper from the web, and why it's a favorite in your house. If you have a lot, just pick one, I know I'll have to.

I hate to cook. There, it’s out there, I do not like to be in the kitchen anymore than I have to. My husband actually does most of our cooking and he’s fantastic at it! He loves experimenting with foods and he wishes I was more flexible in my food choices (nice way of saying, he hates how picky I am). Unfortunately, he cooks like my mom, they neither one use recipes and just go by taste. Fortunately, I do have a recipe for those of you who like it.

Since moving away from Missouri I have been unable to find one of my favorite foods. In fact, the only Chinese dish I eat, Cashew Chicken. The type of Cashew Chicken I am talking about originated in Springfield, Missouri, so the one you see on the menus elsewhere are most likely not the same.

Cashew Chicken

* 5 whole chicken breasts
* 1 t sugar
* 4 T soy sauce
* ½ c cashews (unsalted)
* ½ c green onion tops
* 4 eggs beaten slightly w/ milk
* Cornstarch
* Oil
* Salt
* 1 t monosodium glutamate

Cut chicken into cubes. Let cubes marinate in soy sauce for at least 30 minutes. Dip cubes in egg batter and then in a mixture of cornstarch, salt and monosodium glutamate.

Brown chicken in oil, remove, and add ½ cup cashews. Simmer w/ chicken for 10 minutes. Add a few teaspoons of water for chicken to steam. Place over cooked rice and garnish with more nuts and green onions. Pour oyster sauce over dish.

Oyster Sauce:

* 4 chicken bouillon cubes
* 1 c water
* ~bring to a boil then add
* 2 T cornstarch mixed to a thin paste with ¼ c of water
* ~stir constantly, then add
* 1 t sugar
* 1 t salt
* 1 T oyster flavor sauce

I have only made it that way one time. The way we (we being my husband) typically make it is:

Short-cut Cashew Chicken

* Cook some frozen popcorn chicken.
* Make some white rice.
* Heat in a pan, a can of Chicken Stock and thicken with some cornstarch.

Throw rice on a plate, place chicken on top, add your cashews and onions then add sauce. Enjoy. While it’s not exactly the same as my dearly missed Missouri dish it is a decent substitute.