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Spicy Chicken with Chili Paste and Peanuts

If you can't find chestnut flour, cornstarch will do.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw peanuts
• 3 cups peanut oil
• 4 boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 large egg white
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water chestnut flour or cornstarch

Sauce Ingredients:

• 4 green onions
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 tablespoon Chinese red vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili paste with garlic
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon water

Instructions:

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. Set aside.

Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks. In bowl large enough to hold chicken, add egg white to water chestnut flour. Beat mixture with a single chopstick or fork. Stir chicken pieces into egg mixture to coat thoroughly. Marinate 5 minutes.

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. Set aside.
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. Set aside.

Sauce: While deep-frying chicken, heat sauce to simmer. Add green onions & peanuts about a minute before serving. At the last minute, add chicken pieces to sauce, mix quickly & serve.