Chinese-style chicken

serves 4
ingredients
1⁄2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and
cut into matchsticks
1 teaspoon salt
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons soy sauce
pinch of five-spice powder
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed
lemon juice
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
8 spring onions, shredded
75g/3oz beansprouts
For the sauce
4 tablespoons crunchy
peanut butter
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed
lemon juice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1⁄4 teaspoon hot chilli powder
1 spring onion, finely chopped
• Put the cucumber matchsticks in a colander, sprinkle with the salt and
cover with a plate with a weight on top. Set the colander in a bowl or
on a deep plate to catch the drips, and leave to drain for 30 minutes.
• Put the chicken portions in a large pan and just cover with water. Add
1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the five-spice powder and the lemon
juice, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about
20 minutes.
• Lift out the poached chicken with a slotted spoon, and leave until cool
enough to handle. Remove and discard the skin. Bash the chicken lightly
with a rolling pin to loosen the fibres. Slice into thin strips. Reserve.
• Heat the oils in a large frying pan or wok. Add the sesame seeds, fry for
30 seconds, then stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and
the sherry. Add the carrots, and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until just tender.
Remove from the heat and reserve.
• Rinse the cucumber well, pat dry with kitchen paper and put in a bowl.
Add the spring onions, beansprouts, cooked carrots, pan juices and
shredded chicken, and mix together. Transfer to a shallow dish. Cover
and chill for about 1 hour, turning the mixture once or twice.
• To make the sauce, cream the peanut butter with the lemon juice, sesame
oil and chilli powder, adding a little hot water to form a paste, then stir
in the spring onion.
• Arrange the chicken mixture on a serving dish, and serve with the
peanut sauce.