Allergy free Szechuan chicken recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tsps Szechuan peppercorns or 2 tsps of ground Szechuan pepper 
• 2 tbsps soy sauce replacer
• 2 tbsps Chinese cooking wine or sherry
• 500-750g chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 2 tsps cornflour
• 1 red capsicum, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced diagonally
• 2 tsps white vinegar
• 2 tsps sugar
• 1 tbsp chilli sauce
• 2 green onions, sliced diagonally

Method

Szechuan peppercorn preparation

• If using whole peppercorns, heat a small frying pan over medium heat.
• Add the peppercorns and dry fry for 1 minute or until fragrant.
• Remove from heat and place in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
• Add a pinch of salt and grind until it forms the consistency of finely cracked black pepper.
• Set aside until needed.

Szechuan Chicken

• Place the soy sauce replacer, Chinese cooking wine and chicken in a non-metallic bowl.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to marinate.
• Heat half the olive oil in a wok or large non-stick frying pan.
• Drain the chicken from the marinade and reserve the marinade.
• Cook the chicken in batches until browned.
• Remove the chicken from the heat and keep warm.
• Combine the cornflour and 2 tablespoons of water and whisk until it forms a smooth consistency.
• Set aside until needed.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in the wok.
• Add the capsicum and carrot and cook for 3 minutes or until tender.
• Return the chicken and any cooking juices to the wok along with the reserved marinade, cornflour mixture, vinegar, sugar, chilli sauce and ground peppercorns.
• Cook for another 3 minutes then toss through the green onions.