How to make chicken stir-fry with mushrooms and cashews

Mildly sweet and crunchy, cashews are crammed with fibre, antioxidants, vitamin E, B vitamins and folate. Like other nuts, they satisfy hunger better than many other foods. Even better, when combined with chicken and vegetables, they make an easy, appetizing stir-fry. Studies suggest nuts can help with weight management when eaten as part of a balanced diet. Here's a great recipe that packs the benefits of cashew into a tasty meal.

Preparation time 20 minutes

Cooking time 10 minutes

Serves 4

• 10 ml (2 tbsp) cornstarch
• 75 ml (1/3 c) dry sherry
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) soy sauce
• 10 ml (2 tbsp) sesame oil
• 175 ml (3/4 c) snow peas
• 1 onion
• 4 celery stalks
• 75 ml (1/3 c) shiitake mushrooms
• 2 carrots
• 75 ml (1/3 c)  unsalted cashews
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil or canola oil
• 300 g (10.5 oz) boneless chicken strips
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 250 ml (1 c) bean sprouts

1. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) of cold water to form a smooth paste. Stir in the sherry, soy sauce and sesame oil. Put the snow peas in a large pot. Add just enough boiling water to cover, return to a boil, and immediately drain and set aside. Thinly slice the onion, celery and mushrooms. Cut the carrots into five centimetre (two inch) sticks.

2. Dry roast the cashews in a large frying pan over medium-high heat for two minutes, shaking the pan until they begin to brown. Transfer to a plate. Add the oil and chicken strips to the pan. Stir-fry for one minute, increasing the heat to high, if necessary, so the chicken begins to brown. Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and stir-fry for two minutes.

3. Return the cashews to the pan, add the mushrooms and stir-fry for two minutes. Pour in 125 ml (1/2 cup) of boiling water and stir in the cornstarch paste. Bring to a boil and add the snow peas and bean sprouts. Simmer for two minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the bean sprouts are heated through. Season to taste and serve with rice or noodles.

• Try boneless steak cut into 1.5 centimetre (3/4 inch) strips instead of the chicken. Use 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) shiitake mushrooms and omit the bean sprouts.
• In this recipe, you could also use a 450 gram (one pound) package of mixed stir-fry vegetables. Add them in step 3, adding them all at once instead of in stages.
• Use oyster or cremini mushrooms instead of the shiitakes.

There are many kinds of soy sauce, but the choice in supermarkets is usually between dark and light varieties. Dark soy sauce is richer and thicker than light, with a lower salt content. If the amount of salt is a concern, use low-sodium soy sauce.

Nutritional information: 257 Calories, 11 g Fat, 2 g Saturated Fat, 17 g Carbohydrates, 23 g Protein, 4 g Fibre