Stir-Fried Chicken with Broccoli

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Rosemary Zwick is a naughty girl for sending this one:

A man sits down at a restaurant and looks at the menu. He tells the
waiter, "I think I will have the turtle soup." The waiter leaves, but
the man changes his mind to pea soup. He yells to the waiter "Hold the turtle, make it pea."

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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Whenever I'm pressed for something quick and easy to cook, my mind
immediately goes to stir-fried dishes. They take a little more time and
effort to prep the ingredients, but the actual cooking can usually be
accomplished in just a few minutes. Cooking time is further reduced in
this recipe by parboiling the broccoli before stir-frying.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Broccoli

1 lb (450 ml) broccoli florets and stem, cut into bite-size pieces
2 Tbs (30 ml) peanut or vegetable oil
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbs (30 ml) finely chopped or grated fresh ginger
1 onion, thinly sliced
2-3 scallions (spring onions), green and white parts, chopped, plus additional for garnish
2-3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) pieces
2 Tbs (30 ml) soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup (125 ml) toasted cashew nuts (optional)
1 Tbs (15 ml) cornstarch (cornflour) mixed with
1/4 cup (60 ml) chicken stock or water

Cook the broccoli in boiling salted water just until partially cooked, 2
to 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Heat half the
oil in a large, heavy skillet (or wok) over high heat and saute half the
garlic and half the ginger for about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli,
onion, and scallions and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables
are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a plate
and add the remaining oil, garlic, and ginger to the pan. Cook for about
30 seconds before adding the chicken. Cook, stirring frequently, until
the chicken is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved
vegetables to the skillet and season with soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
Stir in the cashews and cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring
constantly, until the sauce has thickened, about 1 minute. Serve
garnished with chopped scallion.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Wed Jan 23 18:50:50 2008