Quick Szechuan Chicken

2 large chicken breasts, boned and cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 can coconut milk (don't open the can yet!)
3/4 cup hot tap water or stock
handful peanuts
1 Tbsp miso paste
1 tsp chunky rooster sauce
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 thumb fresh ginger, peeled and diced
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp oil
Rice or pasta

Put the peanuts into a small Ziploc bag and use the unopened can of coconut milk to smash them into little pieces. Pour the peanuts into a bowl. Open the can and mix the coconut milk, chunky rooster sauce, garlic powder, and diced ginger. Whisk the miso into the hot water or stock until dissolved and combine.

Heat the oil in a skillet or saucier over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken and brown, 1-2 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium, pour in the miso-coconut mixture, and poach, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and poach for an additional 5 minutes. Add the frozen peas and poach for another 4 minutes.

Serve over rice or pasta, and sprinkle with peanut pieces.

Quick Kung Pao-ish Fried Tofu

8 oz firm tofu, cubed
2 T cornstarch
1/4 c panko breadcrumbs
1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
3 T tomato paste
1 T chunky rooster sauce
1 drizzle honey or 1 t dark brown sugar, if desired
4-6 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1/2 bell pepper, sliced thin
half a dozen mushrooms, sliced
3 green onions, coarsely chopped
small handful peanuts
oil for frying

Press the tofu for an hour or so to remove excess moisture, then marinate in Worcestershire sauce for half an hour. Dredge the tofu in cornstarch and then panko (reserving the Worcestershire), and pan fry over high heat until the breading is GBD. Remove the tofu and add to the remaining oil the bell pepper, mushrooms, green onions, and garlic. Saute for just long enough to stir the tomato paste and chunky rooster sauce into the Worcestershire, adding the honey or brown sugar if desired. Then reduce the heat to low and pour the mixture over the vegetables, tossing until coated. Add the peanuts and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Serve the vegetables over rice, topped with the tofu. The sweetener, if added, will provide a nice counterpoint to the fiery garlic sauce. But sometimes you just want your Scoville units straight up.