Lanwan Stirfry
In Lanwan Stirfry, exact proportions are unimportant. What matters here is the spirit of the finished product. This is an energetic dish, yet very calming to prepare. All of the senses are taken into account. This results in a manifestation of love and harmony among many diverse components. Please select your ingredients only after a brief period of meditation.
No one ought to need a knife to eat this dish. Cut the ingredients into small pieces of about the same size. Bites will contain several components, yet not overfill the mouth. No flavor may be too dominant. Everything about the serving should merge to provide a delightful dining experience. Eating this dish should give only pleasures, not challenges.
As our meat we have selected the plentiful and economic chicken. Prepare the meat the day before cooking. Cut chicken breast meat into morsels. Sprinkle on cornstarch, coating each piece individually. Moisten with soy sauce, crushed garlic, and oyster sauce. Mix thoroughly and cover tightly. This will allow the flavors to merge overnight.
There are many possibilities, but we have chosen the understated green and red peppers along with the amiable mushroom. If you prefer firmer veggies such as the common carrot or the hauty jicama, cut them into thin slices and include them first when adding the vegetables.Cut vegetables into bite sized squares. Always consider texture and color.
We have also selected the wonderful jalepeno pepper to bring a renewing warmth to our humble dish. The pepper is seeded and very finely diced, insuring that no single bite is overwhelmed by this fine yet authoritative flavor. Be especially mindful at this stage. Remember the virtue of moderation particularly in the realm of the warming of the blood.
Have a bowl ready with some cold chicken broth, vegetable broth or even pure water. Mix some cornstarch thoroughly into the broth. The amount of starch depends on how much body you want in the resulting sauce. The mixture will settle very quickly, so give it another quick stir before adding this element to the wok later in the cooking process.
Heat the wok before adding a little olive oil. Now turn the heat up high. Just as the oil begins to smoke, empty the chicken quickly into the bottom of the wok. Start stirring, keeping the chicken moving vigorously so that the meat is cooked quickly and uniformly. When the chicken is almost fully cooked, remove the tender chunks and set them aside.
If necessary, adjust the amount of oil. Introduce the vegetables in order of cooking time. In our version, we add the mushrooms first, then the peppers after the mushrooms have released some of their water. We always strive to have all the components peak together. Be aware that the cooking at the bottom of the wok is the most vigorous, so stir, stir, stir.
When the vegetables are almost done, return the meat to the wok, and add the broth and starch mixture, continuing to stir. As soon as the starch thickens, remove the wok from the heat and place the finished Lanwan Stirfry on a serving platter. Sprinkle with crushed cashew nuts. Garnish the plate to enhance the visual enjoyment of the presentation.
