Canton chicken & snow peas

3 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
4Medium-size dried mushrooms
2teaspoonsSoy sauce
2teaspoonsCornstarch
2teaspoonsDry sherry
2teaspoonsWater
1dashOf white pepper
poundsChicken breasts **
tablespoonSalad oil
1smallClove garlic, minced
½cupSliced bamboo shoots
¼poundsSnow peas **
Cooking Sauce
½cupWater
1tablespoonDry sherry
2tablespoonsOyster sauce
¼teaspoonSugar
1teaspoonSesame oil
1tablespoonCornstarch

Directions

* Ends and strings removed from snow peas ** Chicken breasts should be skinned, boned and cut into bite sized pieces.

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 1½ t 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 T 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 T 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 ½ 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 ½ c cashews or blanched almonds in 1 T salad oil over medium-low heat until golden; remove from pan and set aside. Stir in nuts just before serving.