Crisp-and-hot chicken salad with sesame

There is a dark sesame paste one can find in Asian grocers that is particularly good, here. Otherwise, use tahini paste.

Crisp-and-hot chicken salad with sesame (serves 4)

Ingredients

• The two legs of a cooked chicken, jointed and bones removed

For the dressing

• 2tspn sugar
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed to a paste with a pinch of salt
• 1tbspn fish sauce
• 1tbspn light soy sauce
• 2tbspn dark sesame paste (or tahini)
• 2–3tbspn hot tap water

For the salad

• 1 cucumber, peeled, de-seeded and cut into strips
• 1 large bunch spring onions, trimmed, washed and shredded
• 1tbspn toasted sesame seeds
• A little sesame oil and chilli oil, to finish

Method Take the boned joints of chicken and lay them, skin side down, in a lightly oiled, solid-based frying pan. Very quietly fry them for about 15 minutes or until the skin has become beautifully crisp—almost as sandpaper. Turn them over and allow their undersides to cook through and brown just a little. Put to one side, but keep warm.

Place all the dressing ingredients in a small food processor and purée until very smooth; the consistency of the dressing should resemble salad cream.

Toss together the cucumber and spring onion, arrange onto four pretty plates and top with slices of the crisp chicken. Lightly coat with the dressing, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and trickle over just a little of both sesame and chilli oils to finish.

Credit: Melanie Johnson

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