Thai cashew chicken

Cashew chicken, or gai pad med mamuang, is a mild and immensely popular stir-fry dish where tender pieces of chicken meet golden roasted cashews in a rich, slightly sweet sauce of oyster sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce with a hint of dried chili. It’s easy to throw together for everyday meals and is a hit with both kids and adults, precisely because the spice level can be turned down or up to taste. Served with steaming jasmine rice, it becomes a complete, filling meal in half an hour – everyday food that feels like takeaway.

• Cuisine: Thailand
• Time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Easy

How to make it

1. Cook the jasmine rice according to package directions, so it's ready for serving while you stir-fry.
2. Lightly toast the cashews in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant and golden, then set aside.
3. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and fry over high heat in a wok with a little neutral oil until golden and almost cooked through.
4. Add garlic, sliced onion, bell pepper, and a few dried chilies, and toss quickly so the vegetables retain their crunch.
5. Mix the sauce with oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and a little palm sugar, and pour it into the wok.
6. Let everything bubble up for a moment so the sauce coats the chicken and vegetables.
7. Stir in the cashews at the very end to keep them crunchy.
8. Serve immediately over hot jasmine rice with a sprinkle of sliced spring onions.

Tips

• Wait to add the nuts until the dish is finished to keep them crispy instead of getting soft from the sauce.
• Substitute chicken with firm tofu or shrimp if you want to vary it - the technique and sauce are exactly the same.
• Use a spacious wok or pan and high heat so the vegetables are stir-fried and don't end up boiling in their own liquid.
• The dried chilies can be stir-fried whole for a mild, smoky heat, or omitted entirely if the dish needs to be child-friendly.