Wild rice makes a divine bed for stir-fried chicken and asparagus (or any almost vegetable) in a sweet hoisin sauce. A quickly prepared dish that really delivers on flavor.
INGREDIENTS (for 2 servings):
- 1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 2 cups wild rice, cooked
- 1/2 pound fresh asparagus
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 4 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
PREPARATION:
Cut asparagus into 3/4 inch to 1 inch pieces, discarding tough bottoms of spears. In a small bowl, mix together the hoisin sauce and brown sugar and set aside. Prepare rice OR reheat cooked rice and keep warm.
Heat wok over medium high heat. When hot, dribble 1 tablespoon of oil around the rim. Stir fry asparagus for approximately 2 minutes. Remove from the wok and keep warm. Heat wok to high heat.
Heat wok to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and the chicken pieces and stir fry until the chicken is no longer pink. Add the reserved asparagus and hoisin/sugar sauce and stir fry all together until pieces are coated with sauce. Serve over the hot rice.
Note:This works best during the spring when fresh asparagus is in season. There's no reason you couldn't substitute snow peas or another vegetable; just don't fry them for more than a couple of minutes on the first go-round. This was my dinner tonight. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. The Geezer.
Hoisin sauce, also called Peking sauce, is a thick, reddish-brown sauce that is sweet and spicy, and widely used in Chinese cooking. It's a mixture of soybeans, garlic, chile peppers and various spices. It can be found in Asian markets and many large supermarkets. Look in the Asian or ethnic section. If this item is not in stock at your local store, ask your grocer to special order it for you. Most grocers will be happy to do this for their customers.