Ingredients

• 7 tablespoons cold vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinkiang black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chili sauce
• 2 skinless chicken breasts or 4 thighs, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• Salt and ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon potato flour or cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
• 4 dried red chiles
• 1 tablespoon Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
• 2 scallions, chopped into 1-inch lengths
• Handful of dry-roasted cashews

Instructions

1. Watch how to make this recipe.
2. Special equipment: a wok
3. For the sauce: Add the vegetable stock, cornstarch, hoisin sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar and chili sauce to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
4. For the chicken: Place the chicken in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the potato flour or cornstarch and mix well to coat the chicken pieces.
5. Heat a wok over high heat until it starts to smoke and then add the peanut oil. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chiles and fry for a few seconds, then add the chicken pieces and stir-fry for 2 minutes. As the chicken begins to turn opaque, add the rice wine or dry sherry. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, then pour in the sauce.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil, add the red pepper and cook until the meat is cooked through and the sauce has thickened and become slightly sticky in consistency, another 2 minutes. Add the scallions and cook for 1 minute. Toss in the cashews, then transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.