Celebrity chef Ching says: “This quick stir-fry uses the bao or ‘exploding’ technique. The Chinese like to cook with whole spices, but just make sure you pick them off with chopsticks before you eat."
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp groundnut oil
- 1 star anise
- 1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 whole dried red chillies
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 300g chicken breast (2 large breasts), cut into 2cm squares
- 2cm piece fresh ginger, sliced into matchsticks
- 1 tbsp Shaohsing rice wine
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp black rice vinegar
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- Small handful cashew nuts
- 2 spring onions, cut into 2cm slices
Method
- 1. Heat a wok over a very high heat. Add the groundnut oil and as the oil starts to smoke, add the star anise, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds and chillies, and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.
- 2. Add the sliced red onion, chicken breast pieces and all the remaining ingredients except the spring onion. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes and toss to mix all the flavours together well. Cook for a further 3 minutes, check the chicken is cooked, then add the spring onion, stir and serve with cooked egg noodles, if you like.
Nutritional info
Per serving (based on 4): 181kcals, 8.6g fat (1.7g saturated), 19.8g protein, 6.8g carbs, 5.1g sugar, 1.8g salt
Chef's tip
Ching says: “This quick stir-fry uses the bao or ‘exploding’ technique. The Chinese like to cook with whole spices, but just make sure you pick them off with chopsticks before you eat. It’s also important to cut the chicken into small pieces – the heat will sear the outside and still keep the meat lovely and tender on the inside.”
Wine Recommendation
The off-dry, fruity style of New Zealand Pinot Gris is a star choice with the sweet and gingery flavours of this dish.