“I don’t like zucchini” my husband said.
We were newlyweds still, and I was planning a tiny garden in front of our duplex.
“Why not?” I asked. Silence… “Just trust me” I told him.
Awhile later, we had big zucchinis on our kitchen counter. I sliced off a piece.
“Here” I handed him one.
“Raw????”, he asked, astonished.
“Yes, you can eat it raw, it’s not poultry for pete’s sake””
His grimaced as he took a TINY (and I mean tiny) nibble.
“Huh… It’s not that bad.”
We always had a HUGE garden when I was a kid. My dad loved growing all kinds of things, and since we had 5 acres, he pretty much could. I feel like my childhood was spent two ways, one in the library (where my mom was a supervisor), and the other, barefoot in the garden. I loved both worlds. “Try this” my dad would say, handing me some vegetable or something. It was always good. I learned at an early age that nobody cooks as good as mother nature. And everything tastes better with warm dirt in between your toes.
So here is one of my favorite dishes to cook with zucchini ( I sometimes up the amount to 4 or 5 zucchinis actually). And feel free to add some carrots and celery if you so desire too.
Dirt between toes optional….
CASHEW CHICKEN
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ cubes
1 T cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 T oil, divided
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
3 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thick
2 T rice vinegar
3 T hoisin sauce
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup cashews, toasted
2 green onions sliced
Toss chicken with cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 T of oil in wok or large skillet.
Cook half of the chicken over medium high heat until browned. Transfer to a plate.
Cook remaining half of the chicken in other T of oil, add onion and garlic when halfway cooked.
When chicken is done, add back first batch of chicken to wok.
Add zucchini, cook a few minutes, until slightly tender.
Add rice vinegar, cook about 1 minute.
Add hoisin sauce and water.
Cook about 1 more minute (make sure all your chicken is completely cooked through.)
Add cashews and green onions.
Serve with rice.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
- 1 T cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 T oil, divided
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thick
- 2 T rice vinegar
- 3 T hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup cashews, toasted
- 2 green onions sliced
Instructions
- Toss chicken with cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 T of oil in wok or large skillet.
- Cook half of the chicken over medium high heat until browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook remaining half of the chicken in other T of oil, add onion and garlic when halfway cooked.
- When chicken is done, add back first batch of chicken to wok.
- Add zucchini, cook a few minutes, until slightly tender.
- Add rice vinegar, cook about 1 minute.
- Add hoisin sauce and water.
- Cook about 1 more minute (make sure all your chicken is completely cooked through.)
- Add cashews and green onions.
- Serve with rice.
