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Ingredients
- ⁄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
Instructions
- 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.
