Cashew Chicken with Fresh Mango!

I love this light, refreshing dish on a hot summer day. The flavors hit your palette from all sides: nutty and buttery notes from the cashews, meaty "umami"-ness from the Chinese mushrooms, salty essence from the ponzu sauce, and sweet succulence from the mango. Oh, and let's not forget the "snap" of the snow peas!

Cashew Chicken with Fresh Mango

1/2 cup dry roasted cashews
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups Chinese straw mushrooms, preferably fresh
1/2 cup ponzu sauce
2 cups fresh snow peas
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 teaspoons sesame oil
1 cup sliced fresh mango
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the cashews in a small dry skillet and set the pan over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the nuts are golden brown, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes, until no longer pink on all sides. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, until the mushrooms release liquid. Add the ponzu sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the snow peas, broccoli and sesame oil and cook for 3 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mango and cashews. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4





Photo: Keko64