Almond Chicken

This is one of my favorite Cantonese dishes. I got this from an Australian Women's Weekly cookbook that I've had and loved for years. The original recipe called for deep frying, which you can certainly do, I just stir fry it.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4  boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1  egg white
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons dry sherry
•  oil (for frying)
• 6  scallions (green onions)
• 4  ounces fresh mushrooms
• 1  large carrot
• 0.5 (230 g) can bamboo shoots (I believe you can get smaller cans now)
• 3  sticks celery
• 1  teaspoon  grated green ginger
• 2  tablespoons  oil, extra
• 2  ounces  blanched almonds

• Sauce

• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 1  tablespoon soy sauce
• 1  chicken stock cube
• 1  tablespoon dry sherry

Directions

1. Blend cornstarch with water, soy sauce, sherry and crumbled stock cube. Stir over medium heat in a small pot until the sauce boils and thickens.
2. Slice mushrooms roughly. Slice celery diagonally. Cut green onions into 1 inch pieces. Slice bamboo shoots thinly and cut into 1/2 inch strips. Peel and dice carrot.
3. Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces. Combine salt, cornstarch, lightly beaten egg white and sherry. Add chicken and mix well.
4. Stir fry (or deep fry) chicken until just changing colour, drain well.
5. Heat the extra oil in the pan, add the almonds and stir fry until golden brown. Watch so they don't burn! Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
6. Add the grated ginger and diced carrots to the pan, fry gently for 1 minute Add the remaining vegetables and saute till tender but crisp, stirring occasionally.
7. Add the chicken and heat through. Add the sauce and mix through.
8. Stir in almonds.