Title: Hunan Hot & Sour Chicken
Categories: Main
Yield: 4 Servings
| 2 | ts | Each cornstarch and dry sherry |
| 1/4 | ts | Each salt and pepper |
| 1 | lb | Chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and cut in bite-siz pieces |
| 3 1/2 | tb | Salad oil |
| 1 | tb | Minced garlic |
| 2 | ts | Minced fresh ginger |
| 1 | tb | Fermented black beans, rinsed and drained |
| 1 | sm | Green pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces |
| 1 | | Medium-size carrot, thinly sliced |
| 8 | oz | Can sliced bamboo shoots |
| 1 | tb | Water Cooking sauce - |
| 2 | ts | Cornstarch |
| 1/2 | ts | Each crushed red pepper and salad oil |
| 2 | tb | Soy sauce |
| 2 1/2 | tb | White wine vinegar |
| 1/2 | c | Chicken broth |
In a bowl, combine cornstarch, sherry, salt and pepper. Add chicken and
stir to coat, then stir in 1 1/2 t of the oil and let stand for 15 minutes
to marinate. Prepare cooking sauce by blending all ingredients in another
bowl, set aside. Place a wok or wide frying pan over high heat. When pan
is hot, add 2 T of the oil. When oil begins to heat, add garlic, ginger,
and black beans. Stir once, then add chicken and stir-fry until chicken is
opaque (about 3 minutes). Remove chicken from pan.
Add the remaining 1 T oil to pan. When oil is hot, add green pepper,
carrot and bamboo shoots. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add water and stir-fry
for 1 1/2 minutes. Return chicken to pan. Stir cooking sauce, add to pan,
and cook, stirring, until sauce bubbles and thickens.
If you like food that produces watery eyes and a burning mouth, pass a
little bowl of hot pepper & black bean sauce (recipe follows).