Canton Chicken and Snow Peas

4 medium-size dried mushrooms
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp water
1 dash white pepper
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
3 1/2 tbsp salad oil
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup sliced bamboo shoots
1/4 lb snow peas, ends and strings removed

Cooking Sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp dry sherry
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp cornstarch

Cover mushrooms with warm water, let stand for 30 minutes, then drain. Cut off and discard stems; squeeze mushrooms dry, thinly slice and set aside.

In a bowl, combine soy, cornstarch, sherry, water and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat, then stir in 1 1/2 tsp of the oil and let stand for fifteen minutes to marinate.

Prepare cooking sauce: mix together water, sherry, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil and cornstarch and set aside.

Place a wok or wide frying pan over high heat. When pan is hot, add 2 Tbsp of the oil. When oil begins to heat, add garlic and stir once. Add chicken and stir-fry until chicken is opaque (about 3 minutes). Remove chicken from pan.

Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil to pan. When oil is hot, add mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Stir-fry for one minutes, adding a few drops water if pan appears dry. Add snow peas and stir-fry for 1 1/2 minutes, adding a few drops more water if pan appears dry. Return chicken to pan.

Stir cooking sauce, add to pan, and cook, stirring until sauce bubbles and thickens.

Variations: Cashew or Almond Chicken:
First toast 1/2 cup cashews or blanched almonds in 1 Tbsp salad oil over medium-low heat until golden; remove from pan and set aside. Stir nuts into cooked mixture just before serving. Source: Foodview