Quick-Fried Hot Diced Chicken, Sichuan Style

7 oz (200 g) chicken breasts and thighs
5 water chestnuts
2 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour), dissolved in 2 tbsp water
1 hot red chili (chilli) pepper
1/2 cup (100 ml) vegetable oil
1/8 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp ginger slices
2 tsp rice wine
2 tsp scallions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic slices
1 cup high stock
1/8 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp MSG

1. Skin, bone, and dice the chicken. Blend 1 tbsp of the cornstarch-water mixture with the salt and 1 tsp of the rice wine. Add the chicken and stir to coat well. Set aside.

2. In another bowl, mix the soy sauce, the remaining 1 tsp rice wine, the stock, the other 1 tbsp of cornstarch, MSG and the sesame oil into a sauce. Set aside. Peel and dice the water chestnuts. Seed the chili pepper and chop finely. Set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat to 225degrees Fahrenheit (110 degrees Celsius), or until small bubbles appear around the edge of a piece of scallion green or ginger tossed into the oil. Add the chicken and chili pepper and stir-fry until the chicken turns red (see Illustration I).

4. Add the ginger, water chestnuts, scallions and garlic, and fry until fragrant. Stir in the sauce and sprinkle with the vinegar. Stir-fry about 30 seconds. Remove, and serve.