Xinjiang Cumin Chicken

Ingredients

• 600g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into thin slices
• For the marinade: 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, cut into thick wedges
• 1 green pepper, cut into chunks
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 tbsp Sichuan chilli flakes (or ordinary dried chilli flakes)
• 1 tsp fine salt
• Large handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Method

1. Mix the chicken with the marinade ingredients and leave for 15 minutes.

2. Toast the cumin seeds and Sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok over a medium heat for about 1 minute until fragrant. Tip into a pestle and mortar and crush coarsely.

3. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in the wok over a high heat. Stir-fry the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Tip onto a plate.

4. Add the remaining oil and stir-fry the onion and green pepper for 2 minutes until charred at the edges but still crunchy.

5. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, then return the chicken with the crushed spices, chilli flakes and salt.

6. Toss everything over a high heat for 1 minute so the spices coat the chicken. Stir in the coriander and serve with steamed rice or flatbreads.