A basic stir-fry and—like every other—one that you can vary however you like. Cashew nuts or peanuts are also great here. Start with Spicy Cold Celery (page 17) and serve this with rice.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed

　　1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into roughly 1-inch chunks

　　1 cup walnuts

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

　　4 scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped

　　1/2 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160), or water

　　1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, dry sherry, or white wine

　　2 tablespoons soy sauce

　　1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

　　

Step 1

Put the oil in a deep skillet or wok, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. When it smokes, add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken browns a bit, 3 or 4 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon. Add the walnuts, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.

　　

Step 2

Add the scallions, then almost immediately the stock, wine, and soy sauce. Cook for a moment, then return the chicken to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute more, then stir in the sesame oil and serve immediately.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.