Hoisin-Explosion Chicken

This is the first stir-fried dish I ever attempted, and it is an ideal place to begin if you are new to a Chinese kitchen. Subtly sweet and rich, with a classic contrast of velvety chicken, slippery-crisp vegetables and crunchy nuts, it combines every technique you need to know to produce elegant, restaurant-style stir-frys.

• The taste explosion that makes this dish so appealing is a multi-regional affair. Hoisin is a predominantly north Chinese condiment, chili