Cashew Chicken Ding

3/4 pound chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch dice

8 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil, divided

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine

1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

3/4 teaspoon cornstarch

For the Sauce:

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 medium garlic clove, finely minced

For the Stir-Fry:

6 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, stemmed and caps cut into 3/4-inch dice

1/2 small jicama, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup (3/4-inch) diced celery from 1 to 2 celery sticks

1 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)

1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 1/2 cup)

1 cup toasted cashew nuts, divided

Cooked white rice, for serving

In a medium bowl, combine cubed chicken with 2 teaspoons oil, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, sugar, salt, and cornstarch and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

For the Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce and mix well.

To stir-fry, remove chicken from refrigerator 5 minutes before cooking. In a wok, heat 2 teaspoons oil over high heat until smoking. Add chicken and spread it out with a spatula so that all pieces are in contact with the wok. Cook, without moving, until chicken is slightly browned on bottom, about 1 minute. Continue to cook while stirring regularly until chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Add another 2 teaspoons of oil to the wok and heat over high heat until smoking. Add mushrooms and stir-fry until mushrooms release liquid, about 2 minutes. Season with salt. Continue to stir-fry until the liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.

Add 2 more teaspoons oil to the wok and heat over high heat until smoking. Add jicama, celery, and zucchini and cook, stirring, until jicama has browned slightly, about 3 minutes.

Add red bell pepper, season with salt and cook until bell pepper is slightly tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms back to wok and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Return chicken to the wok and stir well. Stir sauce, then pour into wok. Continue stirring and cooking until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.

Turn the heat off. Add 3/4 cup of toasted cashews, stir, then transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle remaining cashews on top and serve immediately with rice on the side.