Mongolian Chicken

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

6 Chicken thighs boned and skinned

1 tbl Hoisin sauce

1 tbl Oyster sauce

1 tbl Dark sesame oil

1 tbl Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

4 Garlic cloves finely minced

1/2 cup Hazelnuts

14 med Button mushrooms

6 whl Green onions

12 sm Dried red chiles

1/4 cup Cooking oil

Wok Sauce:

1 tsp Minced tangerine zest

1/3 cup Freshly-squeezed tangerine juice

1/4 cup Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

2 tbl Oyster sauce

1 tbl Hoisin sauce

1 tbl Dark sesame oil

1 tbl Red wine vinegar

1 tbl Cornstarch

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (to toast nuts). Rinse the chicken with cold water, then pat dry. Cut the meat lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Cut the strips in half. In a small bowl, combine the chicken with the hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, and garlic. Mix thoroughly to coat chicken. Cover and refrigerate the chicken for at least 15 minutes but not longer than 8 hours. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the nuts become golden. If the papery skins are still on the nuts, wrap them in a kitchen towel and let cool for a few minutes. Rub the towel vigorously between your palms until all skins have been removed. Set the nuts aside. Cut each mushroom through the stem into 4 wedges. Cut the green onions on a sharp diagonal into 1-inch lengths. Combine and set aside the green onions, mushrooms, and the dried chiles. Set aside the cooking oil. In a small bowl, combine the wok sauce ingredients and set aside. (All advance preparation may be completed up to 8 hours before you begin the final cooking steps). Place a wok over the highest heat. When the wok is very hot, add half the cooking oil. Roll the oil around to coat the inside, and when the oil gives off just a wisp of smoke, add the chicken. Stir and toss the chicken until it loses its raw exterior color, about 1 minute. Immediately transfer the chicken to a plate. Immediately return the wok to the highest heat. Add the remaining cooking oil and, when the oil is hot, add the vegetables and chiles. Stir and toss the vegetables, until the green onions brighten, about 2 minutes. Stir the wok sauce, and pour into the wok. Return the chicken to the wok, add the nuts, and stir and toss until all the ingredients are glazed with sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Immediately transfer the stir-fry to a heated platter or 4 heated dinner plates and serve.

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