Step 1: Preparing the Chicken
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- sea salt (to taste)
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
To prepare the chicken, dice into bite-sized pieces. Toss with the cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add the oil and toss again to evenly coat. Set aside.
Step 2: Preparing the Sauces
- 2 tbsp fermented black beans
- 1 tbsp garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1 tsp Shao Hsing rice wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp corn starch
To prepare the black bean sauce, first rinse the black beans under cold water and drain. Finely mince the garlic. Using the back of a fork, mash the beans and garlic together in a bowl. Add the rice wine, soy sauce and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside.
To prepare the stir-fry sauce, mix the chicken stock, oyster sauce, sugar and cornstarch together, making sure to dissolve all of the cornstarch. Set aside.
Step 3: Preparing the Remaining Ingredients
- 2 cups Chinese long beans*
- 1 cup red pepper
- 1 long Thai red chili (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic (about 3 to 5 cloves)
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger (about 1")
- 1/2 cup Chinese chives**
- 2 tbsp toasted cashews
*Note: Chinese long beans are also referred to as “snake beans”. If you cannot find these, you can substitute with green beans.
To prepare the ingredients, cut the long beans into 1- to 2" -inch pieces. Dice the red pepper into approximately 3/4 "-inch dice. Slice the Thai chili on the bias.
Mince the garlic and ginger. Slice the chives. **Note: If you cannot find Chinese chives, you can substitute with green onions.
Roughly chop the toasted cashews and set aside.
Step 4: Stir-Frying the Dish
- 1 to 2 tbsp peanut oil
To stir-fry the dish, line the ingredients up in the proper cooking order. Heat a wok over high heat. Once hot, cook the stir-fry according to the basic steps in the lesson. Keep in mind that vegetables should be added in the correct order so that they are all done at the same time.
Stir-fry chicken – remove. Stir-fry long beans — red peppers & sliced red chilies — add garlic & ginger — then add the black bean sauce and stir-fry for a few seconds — return chicken and juices to wok — add sauce — finish with chives and cashews. Feel free to add a touch more oil during the stir-frying process, if needed. Serve immediately.