Instructions: Ma-la Zi Ji is fairly hot, quite spicy and also has a peppery flavor.

Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch pieces, or slightly smaller. Make the marinade by mixing the tapioca starch with the wine and then beating in the egg white. Mix with the chicken and marinate at least 15 minutes.

Slice the water chestnuts thinly. Chop the green onion coarsely and the ginger and garlic finely.

To make the seasonings, first mix the cornstarch with the stock or water and soy sauce in a small bowl, then add and mix together the sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, szechuan pepper, black pepper and salt.

Heat 1/4 cup of cooking oil or slightly more in a wok or large frying pan until very hot. Pour extra marinade off the chicken and add the chicken pieces to the heated oil. Stir to keep the pieces separate as they cook.

(It may be necessary to cook the chicken a few pieces at a time if your heat source is insufficient to cook all the chicken quickly and at once.)

when the chicken has turned white, remove and drain.

Leave only 3 tablespoons or so cooking oil in the wok. Heat this oil and add the hot bean sauce, green onion, ginger and garlic. Stir together over a high heat until the garlic and ginger begin to absorb the rec color from the hot bean sauce. Return the prefried chicken pieces and add the water chestnuts and seasoning mix (give it a quick stir first). Stir, checking for salt. When the chicken is reheated and the sauce has thickened slightly, remove to a serving dish and serve hot.

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