Spicy Cashew Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 inch piece of ginger, grated
• 2 dried hot red peppers, sliced with seeds (or about 1 – 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes to taste)
• 1 bunch, or about 10 green onions, sliced both white and green parts
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
• ½ cup water
• Several dashes sesame oil
• ¾ cup raw cashews that have been lightly toasted (2.5lb bag only $16.25)
• Snipped chives for garnish
• Cooked white or brown rice

Directions

1. In a small bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the cornstarch, making sure to get all the chicken coated.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, brown the chicken on all
   sides. Do this in batches so you don’t crowd the chicken, as the chicken needs space in the pan to brown well.
   Set the browned chicken aside on a plate.
3. Add the garlic, ginger and hot pepper to the pan and stir fry for a few minutes. Add most of the scallions
   (reserve a handful for garnish) and the chicken back into the pan and toss to combine.
4. Add the vinegar, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar (if using) and the water to the pan. Mix everything well
   then bring up to a simmer and cook gently for a minute or two until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce
   is thick and glossy. Taste to adjust seasonings according to preference.
5. Add the cashews to the sauce and sprinkle on a few dashes of the sesame oil. Serve over hot rice garnished with
   the rest of the scallions, snipped chives and a few extra cashews.