CHICKEN CHUNKS WITH PEANUTS IN SPICY SAUCE

Servings: 4
Ingredients:

1/2 c  Peanuts; raw
3 c  Peanut oil
2 ea Whole chicken breasts at roo
1 ea Large egg white
1 1/2 T  Water chestnut flour
1 x  -----------sauce------------
4 ea Green onions
2 ea Large cloves garlic
1 T  Minced ginger root
1/2 c  Chicken stock
1/2 T  Sesame oil
1/2 T  Chinese red vingear
1/2 T  Dark soy sauce
1 1/2 t  Chili paste with garlic
1 T  Dry sherry
1 ea Pinch sugar
1 ea Cornstarch paste

Preparation: Trim ends off green onions and cut light green and
white part into 1′ sections. Mix all other sauce ingredients in
2-quart saucepan. Reserve. Pull skin off breasts, then pull chicken
meat from bones. Slice meat into 1′ strips, then crosswise to make 1′
chunks. In bowl large enough to hold chicken, add egg white to water
chestnut flour. Beat mixture with a single chopstick (not an egg
beater or whisk). Stir chicken pieces into egg mixture to coat
thoroughly. Marinate 5 minutes. Note: water chestnut flour gives a
lighter crust than cornstarch, though the latter may be substituted.
Deep-frying: Heat cooking oil in wok or deep-fryer to medium heat
(you’ll need more oil for deep-fryer). Fry peanuts until they are a
light tan color; if a test peanut browns quickly, turn down heat.
Remove peanuts with strainer or slotted spoon; drain on paper towel or
paper bag. Reserve. Turn up heat slightly for chicken. Test a chunk
first: chicken should raise to surface immediately and brown in about 2
minutes. Deep-fry coated chicken chunks until golden brown. Deep-fry
no more than 8 chunks at a time. Use long chopsticks or spatula to
keep pieces separate while they are frying. Remove with long
chopsticks or slotted spoon. Reserve. Sauce: While deep-frying
chicken, heat sauce to simmer. Add green onions and peanuts about a
minute before serving. At the last minute, add chicken pieces to
sauce, mix quickly and serve.

—–