Sesame chicken
• 1 to 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 red bell pepper
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
Slice chicken thinly across the breast. Place the pieces in a bowl.
Add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, vinegar, salt and crushed red pepper flakes.
Add ¼ cup water. Stir to coat meat and dissolve sugar. Refrigerate overnight or all day if you have time, or set the bowl aside for a few minutes at room temperature if you're in a rush.
Core and slice the bell pepper into thin strips.
When ready to cook, heat the oil in a wok or wide, heavy skillet over high heat.
When the skillet is very hot, add the pepper strips, spreading them out to cover the bottom of the skillet and let them cook 1 minute without stirring.
Push them to the side of the pan, and add the mushrooms in as much of a single layer as you can. Cook 2 minutes without stirring, then cook another minute, stirring occasionally.
Push the vegetables to the side to make room for the meat, and add the meat to the skillet. The meat should be in somewhat of a single layer.
Stirring occasionally, cook the chicken until it's opaque, about 5 minutes. The marinade will have thickened to become a sauce. Serve over white rice.
Serves 4.