Bang Bang Ji Si 棒棒雞絲 Bang Bang Chicken － Reunion Dinner 2011 Part 2

I can't imagine a reunion dinner without a white cut chicken (白斬雞, bai zhan ji) but since the other tummy couldn't quite get the idea of a plate of poached chicken, I decided to turned it into something that is more agreeable with his "white palate". Bang bang chicken (棒棒雞絲, bang bang ji si) otherwise known as strange flavour chicken (怪味雞絲, guai wei ji si) is probably as well known as another chicken dish from Sichuan, namely the ever popular gong bao chicken (宮保雞丁, gong bao ji ding) outside of Sichuan. A wooden cudgel (棒, bang) is used to loosen the fibres of the chicken, hence the rather perculiar sounding name. Since "bang" is also a slang for fantastic in Mandarin, I think it is absolutely appropriate to be served on reunion dinner. If you are unable to obtain sesame paste, tahini will make a wonderful substitute. 

recipe adapted from Fuchsia Dunlop's Sichuan Cookery

serves 4 as part of a Chinese meal

you'll need;

1/2 a poached chicken*, skinned (optional), boned and shredded 

6 spring onions, cut into sections and sliced finely lengthwise

1 continental cucumber, cut into sections and sliced lengthwise to match the chicken slivers

3 tsp of toasted sesame seeds

3 tsp of toasted crushed peanuts

*to poach a whole chicken - bring a pot of water (with 2 sping onions, white part only, 5 cm piece of crushed ginger, a dash of Chinese cooking wine and salt to taste) to a boil. Add chicken breast side down and when the water returns to a boil, lower the flame and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the flame off , cover on and let the chicken steep until the stock cools down. 

for the dressing;

1 tbs of white sugar

1 tbs of light soy

1 tbs of Chingkiang vinegar (鎮江香醋) or Chinese black vinegar (黑醋)

3 tbs of smooth Chinese sesame paste (芝麻醬) 

1 tsp of Sichuan pepper (川椒), toasted and ground

1 tbs of sesame oil

2 tbs of chilli oil with sediment (辣椒油)

Prepare the cucumber and place the spring onion slivers in a bowl of iced water.

Prepare the dressing by mixing all the dressing ingredients well.

Use a rolling pin to loosen the fibres of the chicken meat and shred into fine slivers. 

Place chicken slivers on top of the cucumber slivers....

Drizzle the dressing over and scatter the spring onion slivers, toasted sesame seeds and crushed peanuts over.

Mix well and serve this as part of a Chinese meal.