Wed, 6 April 2022
Erica Drum’s Sichuan style Bang Bang Chicken
Makes 2 mains or 4 sides
Takes 30 minutes
Ingredients:
600ml chicken stock
2 free range chicken breasts or 4 thighs
1 thumb ginger, sliced
3 star anise
½ bunch scallions, julienned, separate white and green
2-3 tablespoons sesame paste or peanut butter
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar ( or 1 tablespoon rice wine & 1 tablespoon balsamic)
1-2 tablespoons chilli oil
1-2 teaspoons honey or sugar
1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
1 cucumber
Garnish:
1 sliced red chilli
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
To serve as a main meal:
Extra julienne veg, carrot, sugar snaps
Hot noodles or rice
Method:
Add the chicken stock, chicken breasts (whole), ginger slices, star anise and the white ends of the scallions into a medium saucepan.
Bring this to a boil, add on a lid and reduce the heat to low and simmer away for 15 minutes.
While this is cooking, make your dressing ; add the sesame paste/peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, chilli oil, honey and Sichuan pepper to a small food processor and blend. Alternatively you could mix it all in a bowl with a whisk.
After 15 minutes, remove the chicken from the stock, do not discard the stock.
Pierce the chicken with a skewer, if the juices run clear it is fully cooked.
To serve this dish cold: plunge the chicken into an ice bath for 10 minutes.
Place the cooked chicken breasts on a chopping board and bash (bang bang) with a rolling pin.
Then shred the chicken further with your hands.
Add a large ladle of the hot stock to your sauce and blend again, taste test for seasoning and spice.
Now place your cucumber on the bottom of a beautiful serving dish.
Place the shredded chicken on top and then pour over your dressing.
Garnish with green scallions, sliced chilli and sesame seeds.
Enjoy this dish as a side, part of a large buffet or as a main course with extra vegetables, noodles or rice.
