INGREDIENTS
4 pheasant breast fillets
FOR BRINING THE PHEASANT
(optional but highly recommended)
3 rounded tbsp sugar
3 rounded tbsp salt
1 litre water
For the marinade
2 tbsp corn our
4 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp rice wine
For the sauce
3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp rice wine
4 tbsp water or chicken or
vegetable stock
2 tsp hoi sin sauce
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2 tsp corn our
For everything else
6 spring onions, sliced
3 red and 2 green chillies, finely chopped (or use red dried chillies – more authentic)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
100g peanuts
A glug or two of vegetable or peanut oil for frying
METHOD
If you want really tender pheasant,first brine the breasts by placing them in the water with the sugar and salt and placing in a container in the fridge overnight.
Mix the marinade ingredients together and mix them with the pheasant in a dish. Leave for 10 minutes.
Roast the Sichuan pepper in a dry frying pan for about a minute until fragrant but not burnt.
Whizz in a spice grinder or grind with a pestle and mortar. Pass through a sieve and discard the big bits.
Mix the pepper and all the sauce ingredients together and whisk thoroughly until all combined. Set aside.
Remove the pheasant from the marinade – pop it briefly on kitchen towel to soak off excess marinade if necessary; you don’t want too much marinade to come with it.
Heat the vegetable or peanut oil in a wok and add the pheasant. Stir fry until nearly cooked through – about 5-10 minutes depending on how small it is chopped.
Add peppers, cook for 2 minutes.
Add the spring onions, garlic and ginger and cook for a minute.
Add the sauce and the peanuts.
Cook for another couple of minutes until the sauce is glossy.
Serve with rice. ENJOY!
