Ingredients

  • 2 whole chicken breasts
  • 3 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 12 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
  • 6 spring onions
  • 1 (15 ounce) can straw mushrooms
  • 1 can bamboo shoot
  • to taste oil (for deep frying)
  • 1 cup walnuts or 1 cup blanched almond, peeled
  • 12 cup stock
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water, cold

Method

  • Remove skin from chicken breasts and with a sharp knife cut flesh from bones.
  • Skin and bones can be simmered in a little water and used for stock.
  • Cut chicken meat into small dice.
  • Combine corn starch, salt and five spice powder and sprinkle over chicken.
  • Toss to coat.
  • Cut spring onions into bite-sized lengths.
  • Drain straw mushrooms and cut each mushroom in half.
  • Dice bamboo shoot.
  • Heat oil and deep fry walnuts or almonds until golden.
  • Drain and set aside.
  • Fry chicken pieces, a third at a time, in deep oil over high heat just until they change colour.
  • This takes about 1 minute for each lot.
  • As they are fried, lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper.
  • Pour off all but 2 tbsp.
  • oil.
  • Add vegetables to pan and stir fry over high heat for 1 minute.
  • Add stock.
  • Mix soy and extra corn starch with cold water, add to pan, stir until it thickens.
  • Add chicken pieces and heat through.
  • Turn off heat, stir in nuts and serve immediately over rice or noodles.