Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Cheats' chicken satay stir-fry

This is seriously speedy yet rather delicious (even if I say so myself). It has a sweet yet warm kick and health injecting 'greenness' to it that I crave when I am feeling coldy or run-down. The chilli peps you up and the copious veg make you feel virtuous whilst the rich peanutty sauce gives a satisfying richness.

Ingredients (for one)

1 chicken breast, cut into strips
1 small red onion, sliced (or half a large one - take your pick!)
Plenty of stir-fry friendly leaves such as bok choi and spinach
Sugar snap peas or mange tout
A little chopped fresh red chilli (to taste)
A selection of other veg - I use some of the following: peanut shoots, thin asparagus, peppers, broccoli, carrots cut into thin strips, bean-sprouts
1 heaped teaspoon crunchy peanut butter
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce (or more, to taste)
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
Fresh coriander

1. Chop/prepare all ingredients.
2. Heat oil in a wok. Add red onion and stir-fry until translucent and soft.
3. Add chicken strips. Fry for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add any veg that require a little extra cooking time (e.g. pepper, carrots).
5. Drizzle over the soy sauce.
6. Add peanut butter and stir until it 'melts' into the wok. Add a little water to loosen and to make the dish a little more 'saucy'!
7. Add sweet chilli sauce.
8. Add other veg and stir-fry until chicken and veg are cooked (a further 3-4 mins), again adding a little more water if necessary.
9. Top with fresh coriander on a bed of rice, if wished. Or just in a bowl on its own if you so desire.

Notes - The fresh chilli may seem unnecessary, but it adds an extra dimension and very different heat to the sweet chilli. For a richer treat, you could add a little coconut milk to the sauce.

Wine suggestions - Spicy foods go brilliantly well with aromatic white wines, such as those from Alsace. Riesling and Gewurztraminer are good choices. I drank an Australian Riesling with this tonight - it was just off-dry which worked well with the slight sweetness emanating from the sweet chilli sauce.

No comments: