Recipe: Raspberry Pineapple Cashew Chicken. Yes, really.
Whilst I was out in California this past week, I decided to grab something from the Elephant Bar (a fun and somewhat exotic mainstream restaurant all over the Bay Area) -- their version of cashew chicken. I'd made this recipe in the past, but their take on it was definitely unusual -- a tangy sort of sweet-spicy-raspberry sauce, with snow peas and pineapple chunks to go along with the cashews and chicken. It struck me as tasty enough that I decided to try it out myself back here -- with mixed results. *grin*
Raspberry Pineapple Cashew Chicken
Ingredients
Meat and Marinade:
* 1.5 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Stir-Fry Veggies and Miscellaneous Spicing:
* 2 - 3 tablespoons peanut oil
* 1/4 - 1/2 lb. snow peas, fresh
* 1 20-oz. can pineapple chunks, drained (I used it from a can of Dole, but if you wanted to you could no doubt make it from fresh as well)
* 1/2 - 3/4 cup cashews
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed/ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed Chinese red pepper (or) red cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (I used Malabar black pepper)
Sauce:
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 3 tablespoons chicken broth
* 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegarette (salad dressing)
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Method:
1. Mix 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp cornstarch in medium-sized bowl. Cut chicken into 1/4" - 1/2" rectangular pieces. Marinate chicken in soy sauce mix for 10 - 15 minutes while preparing vegetables and sauce.
2. Combine chicken broth, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegarette, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Blend thoroughly in small bowl.
3. Add peanut oil to to wok and heat on medium-high, until a flicked drop of water sizzles at once. Put diced garlic and ginger into hot oil, and stir for 20-30 seconds to allow the peanut oil to absorb the flavor. Add marinated chicken and spread into one thin layer. Allow to cook without stirring for 1 minute.
4. Add snow peas and cashews, and stir-fry on medium-high for 1 - 2 minutes or until chicken is nearly done.
5. Add pineapple chunks, red and black ground pepper, five-spice powder, and Far East ginger blend. Mix well and stir fry about 1 minute more or until vegetables are tender crisp.
6. Add sauce mix and cook until thickened (about 1 minute). Serve over rice; makes about 4 good-sized servings.
It's quite tasty, and certainly a different result from my first recipe. The raspberry flavor is noticeable without being overwhelming. However, I think I should've cooked the snow peas just a minute or so longer -- they're still a little bit too crunchy. Overall, though, a fun experiment to expand on next time.
Raspberry Pineapple Cashew Chicken
Ingredients
Meat and Marinade:
* 1.5 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Stir-Fry Veggies and Miscellaneous Spicing:
* 2 - 3 tablespoons peanut oil
* 1/4 - 1/2 lb. snow peas, fresh
* 1 20-oz. can pineapple chunks, drained (I used it from a can of Dole, but if you wanted to you could no doubt make it from fresh as well)
* 1/2 - 3/4 cup cashews
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed/ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed Chinese red pepper (or) red cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (I used Malabar black pepper)
Sauce:
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 3 tablespoons chicken broth
* 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegarette (salad dressing)
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Method:
1. Mix 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp cornstarch in medium-sized bowl. Cut chicken into 1/4" - 1/2" rectangular pieces. Marinate chicken in soy sauce mix for 10 - 15 minutes while preparing vegetables and sauce.
2. Combine chicken broth, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegarette, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Blend thoroughly in small bowl.
3. Add peanut oil to to wok and heat on medium-high, until a flicked drop of water sizzles at once. Put diced garlic and ginger into hot oil, and stir for 20-30 seconds to allow the peanut oil to absorb the flavor. Add marinated chicken and spread into one thin layer. Allow to cook without stirring for 1 minute.
4. Add snow peas and cashews, and stir-fry on medium-high for 1 - 2 minutes or until chicken is nearly done.
5. Add pineapple chunks, red and black ground pepper, five-spice powder, and Far East ginger blend. Mix well and stir fry about 1 minute more or until vegetables are tender crisp.
6. Add sauce mix and cook until thickened (about 1 minute). Serve over rice; makes about 4 good-sized servings.
It's quite tasty, and certainly a different result from my first recipe. The raspberry flavor is noticeable without being overwhelming. However, I think I should've cooked the snow peas just a minute or so longer -- they're still a little bit too crunchy. Overall, though, a fun experiment to expand on next time.