Who needs Asian takeout when you can easily make it yourself in just a few minutes? Ok, I admit that it is fun to get takeout but this recipe for Cashew Chicken just might inspire you to skip the takeout joint and try it yourself at home. With just a few minutes of prep and a few minutes on the stove, I had a great weeknight dinner for my family. I actually tripled the recipe so I could take some over to my neighbor who was recovering from knee surgery. My family and my neighbor gave the Cashew Chicken two thumbs up.

For other recipe ideas, check out: Friday Food.

Cashew Chicken
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

For a quick and easy side dish, separate 1 lb. broccoli into small florets. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the broccoli, and cook just until bright green and tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain well, place in a dish, drizzle lightly with soy sauce and chili or sesame oil, toss and serve.

3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. rice wine or dry sherry
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cornstarch
3 Tbs. corn or peanut oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup salted roasted cashews
Steamed rice for serving

Marinate the chicken:
In a large bowl, stir together 2 Tbs. of the soy sauce, the wine and ginger. Stir in the chicken to coat evenly and set aside for 15 minutes.

Make the sauce:
In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbs. water, the remaining 1 Tbs. soy sauce, the Worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch, and stir to dissolve the sugar and cornstarch.

Stir-fry the chicken:
Heat a wok or large fry pan over high heat until very hot and add 2 Tbs. of the corn oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, draining it well, and discard the marinade. Add the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until opaque, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl.

Return the wok to medium heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs. corn oil. Add the green onions and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Return the chicken to the wok and add the cashews. Give the sauce a quick stir, add to the pan and stir until the sauce thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately with the steamed rice. Serves 4.

Tags: Asian, cashew, Chicken, ginger, Quick Cooking, sesame oil, soy sauce, stir-fry

So here’s my story about Shoyu Chicken. I worked in a Japanese restaurant during summer vacation one year when I was in college. It was a fun job. Not only did I genuinely like the family that owned the restaurant (a mom and her adult sons), but I also loved the food. In fact, my family and I ate there frequently before I landed the job. One of my favorite dishes on the menu was Shoyu Chicken. The chicken was braised in a soy sauce mixture (shoyu is soy sauce in Japanese), and was always tender and delicious.

One day I asked one of the brothers for the recipe but he politely declined. Since it was the late 80′s and internet cooking sites didn’t exist yet, I decided to try my hand at recreating it at home. Now I was a pretty decent cook for a 19-year-old and fairly confident in the kitchen. At this point, though, I was just guessing as to what the chicken was braised in. I put some chicken in a pot, added soy sauce and chopped garlic. My memory is fuzzy on this part but I may have added some water or chicken broth to dilute the soy mixture. Then I let it simmer until I deemed it was finished cooking. I was so proud of myself for embarking on this little adventure, and fully expected the finished dish to be perfection. With great anticipation I took the first bite. Boy was I bummed…it was NASTY!!! I had no idea at the time that sugar was one of the main ingredients so, of course, my version was sans sugar. It was hideously salty. I felt terrible for ruining good chicken but that’s just the way it goes sometimes when you experiment.

I decided to move on with my life and so the pursuit of shoyu chicken faded into my past. Imagine my delight some 20 years later when I saw a recipe for shoyu chicken in the Oregonian FOODday. I now make shoyu chicken for dinner regularly. It’s quick, easy and my family loves it. I always serve it with steamed rice and veggies. Chop sticks are optional.

Shoyu Chicken
The Oregonian

¾ cup soy sauce (also called shoyu)
¾ cup granulated sugar or firmly packed brown sugar
1 ½ piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Hot cooked rice

Put soy sauce, sugar, ginger and garlic in a skillet, bring to a boil, add chicken. Cover and simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. Serve with rice.

Tags: Asian, Chicken, Quick Cooking, shoyu, soy sauce