Chicken and cashews (gai-pad-med-ma-muang)

Like most Thai stir-fry dishes, this recipe has Chinese influence but lots of zing from roasted chili paste and a crunch from water chestnuts.  Did you know that cashew nuts do not grow in a shell?  They grow in a tree and are attached to a fruit that is shaped like an apple. 

2                      boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into ½ inch cubes

1 pinch white pepper

3 Tbsp             soy sauce

1                      small onion, sliced lengthwise

½ cup               green onion, sliced 2-inch long

2                      dried large poblano peppers, cut into chunks

1 cup                roasted cashew nuts (unsalted)

4 cloves            garlic, minced

2 Tbsp             oyster sauce

2 Tbsp             Roasted chili paste

2 Tbsp             sugar

3 Tbsp             water

4 oz can           water chestnut (drained)

¼ cup               canola oil

Marinate chicken cubes in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and white pepper and set aside.

Heat canola oil in wok over medium-high heat.  Add garlic; cook until golden.

Add chicken and cook until done (chicken will turn white).

Add onion, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, roasted chili paste, and sugar; stir until combined.

Stir in water and water chestnut and cook for 2 minutes.  Add dried pepper, green onion, and cashew nuts.