Recipe(tried): Kong Bao chicken (Szechwan Chicken with

This whole lot looks scary but I just want to make sure that whoever reads this
get the full picture of the entire process. It's actually very easy once you
get hold the idea!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kong Bao chicken (Szechwan Chicken with peanut/cashew nuts)

50g raw, shelled peanuts/cashew nuts (** We almost always use cashew nuts
though the original one you get in Szechwan Province should be peanuts.)
300g skinned/boned chicken (I prefer thigh fillet.)
1 egg white
salt to taste
2 T. cornstarch
2 garlic cloves
20 g dried red chili pepper
1 T. dark soy sauce (or called mushroom soy sauce)
1 T. rice wine
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. sesame oil
about 1/4 c water (or less if you prefer it drier like the original.)

Wash the chicken, pat dry and cut into 2 cm cubes. In a bowl, mix chicken with
egg white, salt and 1 T. cornstarch & leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes
or few hours until needed.

Peel and finely chopped the garlic. Halve the chili pepper and remove the
seeds. (**If you buy dried bird's eye chili, they are EXTREMELY hot. Make sure
you get rid of the seed or else the dish will be too hot to be eaten! I tend
to reserve few seeds to satisfy those who can take hot and spicy food. But I
don't recommend this method for beginners...)

Prepare the sauce: Dissolve the remaining 1 T. corn flour in 1/4 c water, then
stir in the dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, & sesame oil. Set aside.

Heat a wok/pan over medium heat. Add 3 T. oil, then add the nuts. Turn the
fire to low immediately and saut the nuts until lightly golden. Make sure you
don't over cook the nuts. Remove the nuts and drain on pepper towel. Remain
the oil in the wok.

Heat the wok to HIGH. Add the chicken pieces (including the sticky marinade.)
Stir-fry for about 2 minutes or until the chicken pieces are lightly golden all
over. Remove the chicken on the paper towel as you do with the nuts.

Turn the heat down to medium and pour off the oil. Leave only a thin film in
the wok. Briefly fry the garlic & chili pepper over medium heat. (The kitchen
will be a bit smoky so make sure the windows are opened!) Fry until the chili
pepper turn light brown, but NOT burnt! Return the chicken and continue to fry
for about 1 minute on HIGH.

Stir in the sauce and bring to the boil. Add in the nuts, mixing everything
thoroughly. Serve with boiled Jasmine rice & fish flavored egg plants. YUMMY!