Chik'n Strips in Spicy Orange Sauce

One of my favorite things when we go out to eat at the Vegetarian House is the Orange Chicken — the sauce is so amazing that it's practically the only thing I ever order there. Usually when I try to make an orange glaze at home, it pales in comparison. So when I came across this recipe while visiting Vegan Planet, I knew I had to give it another try. Robin Robertson's recipe, posted on her Web site from her new cookbook Vegan Fire & Spice: 200 Sultry & Savory Global Recipes, has taken me one step closer with its wonderful flavor and just the right amount of heat — a great way to dress up an otherwise bland lunch.

one 8 oz. package of frozen chik'n strips or your own seitan, cut into strips

frozen (or better yet fresh) broccoli (maybe 1 to 2 cups)

prepared rice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon hot chile paste

1 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chick'n strips and stir-fry until browned, about 5 minutes. [If using frozen broccoli, add to skillet about halfway through.] Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the soy sauce, brown sugar, and hot chile paste. Add the orange juice and bring to a boil. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and continue cooking until the sauce thickens.

For future attempts: I wonder if using orange concentrate, or reducing the orange juice in advance, would bring out the intense orange tang found in that addictive restaurant sauce, which is also more syrupy. Hmmm ....

P.S. Vegan Planet happens to be offering this new cookbook on sale for only $12.70 ...