BANG-BANG CHICKEN

Serves 8–10. Preparation & cooking time: 45 mins & cooling time.

This very popular Sichuan dish is also known as Bon-Bon Chicken in some restaurants, so called because the meat is tenderised by being banged with a stick (bon in Chinese).

about 1 litre (2 pints) water

1 whole chicken (about 1kg (2¼lb) without giblets)

2–3 spring onions, each tied into a knot

2–3 pieces ginger root, unpeeled and crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sesame oil shredded lettuce leaves, to garnish

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon caster sugar

2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions

1 teaspoon red chilli oil

½ teaspoon ground Sichuan red peppercorn

1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

2 tablespoons sesame paste or peanut butter creamed with a little sesame oil

Bring the water to the boil, add the chicken with the spring onion knots and the ginger, bring back to the boil, then add the salt and reduce the heat and simmer for 30–35 minutes, keeping the lid very tightly shut all the time. Then turn off the heat and leave to cool for 3–4 hours under cover.

Remove the chicken, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Brush on a coating of sesame oil, and leave to dry for another 10–15 minutes before carving the meat off the bones, pound with a rolling pin to loosen the meat, then tear all the meat into shreds with your fingers. Place on top of the lettuce leaves.

Mix about 150ml (5fl oz) of the liquid in which the chicken was cooked with all the sauce ingredients and pour over the chicken. Mix and toss at the table just before serving.

hancheng

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