CHICKEN & PRAWN STIR-FRY WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE & CORIANDER

Serves 6 Preparation time 20-25 minutes Cooking time 10-15 minutes

“I can’t claim this is an authentic Chinese recipe. It’s just something I make because the flavours of the black bean sauce, Chinese fivespice and chilli appeal to me. I often use strips of pork tenderloin, but most popular with my family is this chicken and prawn version. The cooking of the vegetables is a bit arbitrary; just ensure that they retain plenty of crunch. My stir-fries vary – sometimes I use baby corn or courgettes. It’s really down to what you have in the fridge.”

INGREDIENTS

• 1 x 1.4kg/3lb free-range chicken, boned and skinned, or 2 chicken breasts, 2 thighs and 2 drumsticks, boned and skinned

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

• 10cm/4in piece root ginger, peeled and sliced or grated

• 2 tbsp black bean sauce

• ½ tsp Chinese five-spice

• 4 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 red pepper, sliced

• 2 red chillies, sliced

• 100g/4oz green beans, topped and tailed and cut in half

• 100g/4oz mangetout

• 100g/4oz button mushrooms, wiped and sliced

• 100g/4oz raw peeled prawns

• 100g/4oz bean sprouts

• 1 tbsp cornflour, mixed with a little water

• 30g/1¼oz coriander, roughly chopped

• 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and sliced diagonally

To serve

• Steamed jasmine rice

• Chilli oil or soy sauce

1. Cut the chicken into fingersized pieces. Heat the sunflower oil in a wok over a high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant and golden. Add the black bean sauce, Chinese five-spice, Shaoxing wine or sherry, soy sauce, salt, sugar and chicken pieces, then fry until the chicken is browned but not fully cooked through. Remove the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and keep them warm.

2. Add a little more oil if needed, then the red pepper, chillies, green beans, mangetout and mushrooms. Cook for a minute or so, then put the chicken back in the wok and add the prawns, bean sprouts and 100ml/4fl oz of water. Let the mixture bubble, add the cornflour paste and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Stir in the coriander and spring onions and remove from the heat.

3. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and chilli oil or soy sauce.

TIP

“When making this, keep the chicken bones for stock.”