Kung Pao Chicken

Fry the chilli, ginger and spring onions in a little oil in a frying pan until soft. 2. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and peanut butter, stirring well after each addition. 3. Return to the heat and add the dissolved cornstarch, stirring as you do so, until the sauce starts to thicken. Once it starts to thicken, remove from the heat and set aside. 4. Meanwhile, combine the egg whites, soy sauce and cornstarch in a shallow dish. 5. Lightly coat the chicken strips in the egg white mixture. 6. Heat the oil (enough to reach about 1 inch up the sides of the frying pan) and deep-fry a few strips at a time. 7. Drain on an absorbent paper towel and set aside. 8. When all the chicken is fried, place in a serving bowl. 9. Bring the sauce to the boil again, then remove from the heat, pour over the chicken and gently mix to ensure that all pieces are evenly coated. 10. Sprinkle with the peanuts or cashew nuts and the remaining chopped spring onions and serve immediately on a bed of rice.

TIP: While frying the chicken, preheat the oven to 400 Deg. F. Place the nuts on a baking tray on the middle rack of the oven and roast until lightly browned. Alternatively, dry-fry them in an ungreased frying pan or oven grill them. This gives the nuts an added crunch.