White-Cut Chicken Salad with Szechuan Peppercorns

by Leah Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 2 cups Shaoshing Chinese cooking wine
  • 1 bunch green shallots, white and green parts separated
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 6 star anise
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 Tbsp yellow rock sugar
  • 12cm piece ginger
  • 2 Lebanese cucumbers, halved and seeded
  • ΒΌ bunch coriander leaves
  • 50g black sesame paste
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns, cracked
  • 2 tsp ground Szechuan peppercorns
  • pinch Chinese five spice

Instructions

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6

1 Place the chicken in a large saucepan with the cooking wine, white parts of the shallots, garlic, spices and sugar. Peel the ginger and place the peel in the saucepan, cover with cold water, then set over a moderate heat. Simmer for 45 minutes until the chicken is firm, the set aside to cool. Shred the chicken, discarding the cooking liquid and bones.
2 Cut the ginger into fine batons, then cut the cucumber into fine batons. Place both a large bowl with the chicken and coriander. Mix well. Slice the remaining shallots finely, then mix in.
3 Whisk the black sesame paste, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, peppercorns and Chinese five spice to make a dressing. Add to the salad and toss gently.