Sesame Chicken With Cashews and Dates

Sesame Chicken With Cashews and Dates is an interesting dish. I liked the idea of the dates cooked with the  Chicken and Cashews are my favorite nut.

Sesame Chicken With Cashews and Dates

New York Times

Dates add a touch of sweetness to this savory chicken and scallion stir-fry. If you don’t have a wok or a 12-inch skillet, you might want to cook this in two batches in a smaller pan. That will ensure a nice, browned crust on the meat. And if you want to substitute chicken breasts, stir-fry them for only 2 minutes in Step 2 before adding the rice wine.

Ingredients

4           tablespoons toasted (Asian) sesame oil

1           2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into about 12 “coins”

6 to 8    garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1           bunch scallions (white and green parts), cut into 2-inch lengths

3 to 4    dried red chiles, or 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes

2           pounds boneless chicken thighs (preferably skin on, but skinless is O.K.), cut into 2-inch chunks

½          cup toasted cashews

⅓          cup rice wine or dry sherry

3           tablespoons dark soy sauce or tamari

4           pitted dates, thinly sliced

3           cups fresh basil or cilantro leaves, or a combination

Rice vinegar or lime juice, to taste

Cooked rice, for serving

Preparation

1.   Season the chicken with salt and pepper while you heat a 12-inch skillet or wok over high heat until it’s very hot, at least 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil and swirl the pan; the oil should thin on contact. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic, scallions and chile. Stir-fry until the garlic is golden at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes.

2.   Add the 2 remaining tablespoon oil, chicken and cashews, and stir fry until it starts to brown, 4 to 5 minutes (turn down the heat if the cashews are browning too quickly). Add the rice wine, soy sauce and dates; simmer until the sauce reduces to a syrupy consistency and the chicken cooks through, 5 to 7 minutes.

3.   Stir in the herbs, sprinkle with rice vinegar or lime juice, and serve over rice.

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