Cashew chicken
Encyclopedia
Cashew chicken is a simple Chinese-American dish that combines chicken
(deep-fried or stir-fried, depending on the variation), cashew
s, and a thick oyster sauce
.
. Springfield-style cashew chicken was first served in 1963 at the Grove Supper Club in Springfield. David Leong, the chef, who moved to the United States
from China
in 1940, struggled to gain acceptance for the foods of his homeland so he began searching for a dish that would appeal to local residents' taste buds. His famous cashew chicken recipe was so popular he soon opened Leong's Tea House in Springfield. The dish became exceedingly popular in the Springfield area and is often cited as the unofficial "dish of the city".
Borrowing from the local love of fried chicken, Leong came up with a combination of fried chicken chunks covered with Chinese oyster sauce, a handful of cashew
s and chopped green onions--an immediate hit with the local crowd. As word spread about the dish, so did the recipe. Leong's Tea House closed its doors in 1997, but Springfield-style cashew chicken is still being served at over 70 Chinese restaurants, as well as many non-Chinese restaurants, in and around the Springfield metropolitan area, and elsewhere in Missouri and other states.
In 2010, Leong's son, with his father's assistance, opened a new restaurant in Springfield serving cashew chicken.
Chicken (food)
Chicken is the most common type of poultry in the world, and is prepared as food in a wide variety of ways, varying by region and culture.- History :...
(deep-fried or stir-fried, depending on the variation), cashew
Cashew
The cashew is a tree in the family Anacardiaceae. Its English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree, caju, which in turn derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. It is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew nuts and cashew apples.-Etymology:The...
s, and a thick oyster sauce
Oyster sauce
Oyster sauce describes a number of sauces made by cooking oysters. The most common in modern use is a viscous dark brown condiment made from sugar, salt and water thickened with cornstarch, flavoured with a little oyster essence or extract and some versions may be darkened with caramel, though high...
.
Springfield-style cashew chicken
A particularly notable version of the dish, using breaded, deep fried chicken rather than stir-fried, is closely associated with the city of Springfield, MissouriSpringfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
. Springfield-style cashew chicken was first served in 1963 at the Grove Supper Club in Springfield. David Leong, the chef, who moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1940, struggled to gain acceptance for the foods of his homeland so he began searching for a dish that would appeal to local residents' taste buds. His famous cashew chicken recipe was so popular he soon opened Leong's Tea House in Springfield. The dish became exceedingly popular in the Springfield area and is often cited as the unofficial "dish of the city".
Borrowing from the local love of fried chicken, Leong came up with a combination of fried chicken chunks covered with Chinese oyster sauce, a handful of cashew
Cashew
The cashew is a tree in the family Anacardiaceae. Its English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree, caju, which in turn derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. It is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew nuts and cashew apples.-Etymology:The...
s and chopped green onions--an immediate hit with the local crowd. As word spread about the dish, so did the recipe. Leong's Tea House closed its doors in 1997, but Springfield-style cashew chicken is still being served at over 70 Chinese restaurants, as well as many non-Chinese restaurants, in and around the Springfield metropolitan area, and elsewhere in Missouri and other states.
In 2010, Leong's son, with his father's assistance, opened a new restaurant in Springfield serving cashew chicken.
See also
- Chop sueyChop sueyChop suey is a Chinese dish consisting of meat and eggs, cooked quickly with vegetables such as bean sprouts, cabbage, and celery and bound in a starch-thickened sauce...
- General Tso's chickenGeneral Tso's chickenGeneral Tso's chicken is a sweet and spicy, deep-fried chicken dish that is popularly served in North American Chinese restaurants...
- Kung Pao chickenKung Pao chickenGong Bao chicken , a late Qing Dynasty official. Born in Guizhou, Ding served as head of Shandong province and later as governor of Sichuan province. His title was Gōng Bǎo , or palatial guardian. The name "Kung Pao" chicken is derived from this title....
- Mapo doufuMapo doufuMapo doufu, or mapo tofu, is a popular Chinese dish from the Sichuan province. It is a combination of tofu set in a spicy chili- and bean-based sauce, typically a thin, oily, and bright red suspension, and often cooked with minced meat, usually pork or beef...