Sweet Fragrant Orange Chicken with Vegetables - Bea Anwiler

1 orange
3 tbl granulated sugar
2 tbl cornstarch
4 tbl soy sauce
Vegetable oil
1 tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger root
1/8 to 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt to taste
2 whole chicken breasts (1.5 lbs) cut into thin strips
8 oz mushrooms, trimmed and thickly sliced
1/4 lb snow peas (~2 c)
1/2 c chopped green onion
1/4 c toasted almonds (325 until light golden brown)

Grate orange portion of orange peel finely, squeeze juice into a separate container and set both aside. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir in 4 tbl of juice from orange and soy sauce- set aside. Put about 2 tbl oil in a wok and heat over high heat until hot. Add ginger and red pepper; stir. Add chicken and stir-fry until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a serving dish, sprinkle with salt and set aside. Add more oil and heat until hot, then add mushrooms and stir-fry for one minute. Add peas and green onions, and stir-fry for one minute. Drizzle cornstarch mixture over top of ingredients in wok and heat, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens- about one minute. Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle with orange peel and toasted almonds. Serve immediately.