Cashew Chicken
A Springfield Legend
Back in the 60s, whenever our family travelled to Springfield, MO, we always stopped at Leong’s Tea House. Each time, we ordered the same dish: its famed Cashew Chicken. Ahh! the memories.
The flavorful Asian mash up was the brain child of Chinese immigrant David Leong, trying to devise a dish that appealed to Americans. Noting that southwest Missourians liked their chicken fried, Leong came up with a flavorful oyster sauce, that he put atop chunks of Southern fried chicken.
In Search of the Real Thing
I later found a recipe in a food magazine. It was submitted by a Springfield woman, so I figured it was likely to be authentic. Sure enough, the dish was much like the one served in the restaurant.
During the nineties, I took that Cashew Chicken recipe with me to the Governor’s Mansion, when I was First Lady. It became one of our favorite luncheon items. When I wrote the cookbook Christmas at the Mansion: It’s Memories and Menus, I included this wonderful recipe.
For dessert, you might want to consider toping things off with this retro recipe for Cashew Cookies.
Jean, you have such aclever, colorful, artistic, informing, and entertaining website.The layout and composition are flawless. I really enjoyed this interesting visit. Don Gilmore
I second Don’s comment with great enthusiasm! And I too love Cashew Chicken, although my mom never made it at home. We always ordered it at restaurants.