This stir-fried dish ends up a delicious mixture of juicy chicken strips, firm mushrooms, crisp cucumber chunks and crunchynuts, all coated in a piquant, spicy sauce.
SERVES 4
4 chicken breast fillets, each weighing about 100 g (4 oz) , skinned and cut into thin strips
5 cm (2 inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
45 ml (3 tbsp) soy sauce
60 ml (4 tbsp) dry sherry
5 ml (1 tsp) five spice powder
45 ml (3 tbsp) vegetable oil
100 g (4 oz) mushrooms, halved
1/4 cucumber, cut into chunks
75 g (3 oz) walnut pieces, roughly chopped
pepper
1. Put the chicken in a bowl with the ginger, soy sauce, sherry and five spice powder. Stir well to mix, then cover and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.
2. Remove the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon, reserving the marinade.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the chicken and cook for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring continuously.
4. Add the mushrooms, cucumber and walnuts and continue to cook for 1 - 2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender but still crisp. 5. Stir in the reserved marinade and cook for 1 minute, until hot. Season to taste with pepper. Serve immediately with rice or noodles.
