Sweet little starter or lunch dish, chicken bang bang recipes abound, all are of Chinese origin.

Ingredients - serves 4

2 chicken breasts, skin removed
1 stick lemon grass, bruised
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 slices of root ginger, peeled
150ml chicken stock
150ml light soy sauce
small bunch fresh coriander
tobasco sauce - to taste

100g peanut butter - smooth
4 spring onions, sliced
1 small cucumber, seeded & cut into matchsticks
toasted sesame seeds

Method

Place the stock, soy, lemon grass, garlic, ginger and coriander(stalks and all) together in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. immerse the chicken breasts in the poaching liquid and maintain a simmer until cooked - about 15 minutes. Turn off and allow the breasts to cool in the liquor.

Once cool, strain the sauce and reserve, and slice the breasts into juicy, diagonal slices. Whisk some of the sauce with the peanut butter to achieve a creamy consistency and add a touch of tobasco to taste. Place a mix of cucumber and spring onion onto 4 plates, dress with a few drops of the poaching liquid, top with slices of chicken and pour over some peanut sauce. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and a few coriander leaves, serve.