Gunpowder Chicken.

Gunpowder Chicken.

Deliciously moist chicken in seriously flavourful sticky sauce. Originating from China's Sichuan region, this is a hot and spicy chicken stir fry with an intriguing name. The heat and the spice is totally up to the individual's taste. The chillies are left whole, which gives delicious smokiness to the whole dish without the heat. The dish contains Sichuan pepper which has a mouth numbing effect; the characteristics of the XO sauce. Sichuan pepper is readily available, I have spotted some in my local Tesco.

For the chicken.

-500g chicken breast, slice into strips, 2cm in thickness.

Marinate the chicken with,

-1tbsp dark soy,

-good pinch of salt.

Leave to sit for an hour or so.

Dry roast 30g peanuts with your chosen amount of dry chillies.

Leave aside until needed.

For the sauce.

In a bowl, put in

-1tsp cornflour,

-1tsp finely ground Sichuan pepper,

-50ml water,

-1tbsp soy sauce,

-2tbsp oyster sauce,

-1tbsp balsamic vinegar,

-1tbsp Shaoxing rice wine,

-1tbsp honey,

-1tsp sesame oil.

Mix well and leave aside.

For the vegetables.

-2 cloves chopped garlic.

-2 sliced red chillies (optional).

-4 sliced spring onions.

In a wok, with a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil, fry

-the marinated chicken.

Cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken pieces are cooked through.

Remove the chicken and set aside, add

-the garlic.

Stir fry until fragrant, add

-the sauce.

Bring up to the boil, add

-the chicken.

Cook, stirring to coat the chicken in the sticky sauce, add

-the fresh and dry chillies,

-spring onions.

Continue to cook for 20 seconds or so.

Spoon into a serving dish.

Sprinkle over the roasted peanuts.

Serve with rice.