Cashew Chicken

This cashew chicken is one delicious serving to enjoy with fried rice. You can add chopped vegetables to this saucy chicken meal as well.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 boneless chicken breast, diced
• a small pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon water
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves sliced
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ cup toasted cashew
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 fresh green pepper, chopped

Stir fry sauce

• 1 tablespoon water
• ¼ teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

1. Mix water, cornstarch, ground black pepper, light soy sauce, salt, and sesame oil with chicken cubes in a bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the stir-fry sauce ingredients.
3. In a nonstick pan, spread cashew nuts and toast over low heat until crispy.
4. Place the chicken chunks in the wok with the oil.
5. With chopsticks, evenly distribute them in the cooking pot and fry gently.
6. Sauté garlic and green pepper with oil in a wok for 30 seconds.
7. Return the prepared chicken to the pan and mix in the stir-fry sauce.
8. Turn off the heat and sprinkle cashew nuts over the chicken.
9. Serve with cooked rice.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 238, fat 15 g, carbs 8 g, Protein 17g, sodium 738 mg

 

 

Szechuan Shao Kao

Shao Kao is Szechuan skewers that are typically made using any sliced meat ranging from beef to pork and chicken. Here the seasoned pork slices are threaded over bamboo skewers and then grilled well.

Serves 6 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 tablespoon Chinese light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Mala Market Shao Kao Spice
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Grilling

• 1 pound pork shoulder, boneless
• 6 long, thin bamboo sticks

Directions

1. Soak all the bamboo sticks in water for 1 hour, then drain and brush them with oil and Shao Kao spice.
2. Mix all the pork marinade ingredients in a bowl and set it aside.
3. Slice the pork into long strips and add to this marinade in a bowl.
4. Stir well, cover, and marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
5. Cut the vegetables into ⅛-inch thick slices.
6. Add vegetables to a pot filled with water and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Drain and allow the vegetables to cool.
8. Thread the pork on the bamboo sticks, then pour the marinade over the skewers.
9. Set a grill on medium heat and grease the grates with cooking oil.
10. Grill the pork skewers for 5-10 minutes per side.
11. Serve warm.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 267, fat 21.6 g, carbs 0.4 g, Protein 17.6 g, sodium 51 mg

 

 

Szechuan Shrimp

Are you a shrimp lover? Then this Szechuan shrimp recipe is the right way to enjoy its true flavors with hints of peppery flavors.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 24 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup canned chicken broth
• 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sherry
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 1¼ cups long-grain rice
• 1½ pounds shrimp, shelled
• ½ teaspoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Directions

1. Sauté bell peppers with oil in a wok for 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
2. Add rice and salted water to a cooking pot and cook for 10 minutes, then drain.
3. Mix shrimp with 2 tablespoons of sherry and cornstarch in a bowl.
4. Sauté shrimp with 1½ tablespoon oil in a wok for 4 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
5. Add remaining oil, red pepper flakes, green onions, ginger, garlic, and bell peppers to a wok and cook for 3 minutes.
6. Add broth mixture and cook for 2 minutes, then add shrimp and green onion.
7. Garnish with sesame oil and serve warm.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 553, fat 13.9 g, carbs 59.4 g, Protein 45.1 g, sodium 1155 mg

 

 

Dan Dan Noodles

Do you want to enjoy the classic dan dan noodles? This recipe is one simple way to cook them at home using noodles, leafy greens, and pork.

Serves 6 | Prep. time 30 minutes | Cooking time 25 minutes

Ingredients

Filling

• ¾ tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar powder
• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds

Chili Oil

• 2 tablespoons Szechuan peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2-star anise
• 1 cup oil
• ¼ cup crushed red pepper flakes

Meat

• 3 teaspoons oil
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 2 teaspoons sweet bean sauce
• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon five-spice powder
• ⅓ cup sui mi ya cai

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons sesame paste
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon five-spice powder
• ½ teaspoon Szechuan peppercorn powder
• ½ cup chili oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup hot cooking water

Noodles

• 1 pound dried white noodles
• 1 small bunch of leafy mustard greens
• Chopped peanuts
• Chopped green onions

Directions

1. For chili oil, sauté star anise, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns with oil in a small pan for 6 minutes, then remove from the heat.
2. Stir in red pepper flakes and allow the oil to cool.
3. Sauté pork with a teaspoon of oil in a wok until brown.
4. Stir in five-spice powder, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sweet bean sauce, then cook until the liquid is evaporated.
5. Sauté pickled vegetables with 2 teaspoons of oil in another wok for 5 minutes until soft.
6. For the sauce, mix all its ingredients in a bowl.
7. Boil noodles as per the package’s instructions, add greens to blanch for 3 minutes, and then drain.
8. Divide the noodle into six bowls and add the green beans, leafy green, pork, ya cai, chopped peanuts, and green onions on top.
9. Serve warm.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 407, fat 38.6 g, carbs 5.4 g, Protein 10.8 g, sodium 58 mg

 

 

Szechuan Fried Rice

Now you can enjoy a colorful and delectable rice platter with this quick and simple recipe. The Szechuan fried rice recipe is prepared using ham and mustard greens.

Serves 12 | Prep. time 20 minutes | Cooking time 32 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 ounces Jinhua ham
• 5 tablespoons oil
• 1 packet suimi ya cai (preserved mustard greens)
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 7 cups cooked jasmine rice
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 4 eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Place the ham in a heatproof bowl.
2. Set a steamer with boiling water over medium heat.
3. Place a steamer basket inside and set the ham in it.
4. Cover and steam it for 15 minutes, then chop it.
5. Sauté ham with 5 tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat until golden brown.
6. Stir in ya cai and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add green onions, then cook for 1 minute.
8. Stir in rice and sauté for 2 minutes.
9. Add wine, white peppers, and the rest of the ingredients, then cook for 2 minutes.
10. Serve warm.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 505, fat 10.2 g, carbs 86.1 g, Protein 14.8 g, sodium 484 mg

 

 

Roasted Eggplants with Garlic

Eggplants taste great, roasted with garlic seasoning and five-spice powder. You can enjoy these eggplants with a drizzle of vinegar on top.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 long purple eggplants
• 3 whole garlic, peeled and chopped
• ½ cup oil
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 green onions, sliced
• Rice for serving

Directions

1. Mix salt, Chinese five-spice powder, oil, and soy sauce in a small bowl.
2. Pat dry the eggplants and slice them into thick sticks.
3. Preheat your oven to 400ºF (204ºC).
4. Brush the eggplants with ½ of the oil and place them on a greased baking sheet.
5. Roast the eggplants for 15 minutes, then flip and roast for 15 minutes.
6. Mix smashed garlic with a pinch of salt, ¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder, and 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl.
7. Add the garlic mixture over the eggplants and roast for 10 minutes.
8. Garnish with green onion and serve warm over rice if desired.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 276, fat 27.4 g, carbs 14.8 g, Protein 2.5 g, sodium 1442mg

 

 

***These recipes and more can be found in Lina Chang’s Szechuan Cooking – Making Favorite Hot and Spicy Szechuan Recipes at Home. To get your own copy, click on the cover below and click here.

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