Sticky Five- Spice Chicken Wraps

I know there is a long list of ingredients here, but don’t be intimidated: this recipe looks scarier than it is, and these chicken skewers are to die for! SERVES 4 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 lemongrass stalk 3 garlic cloves 25g fresh ginger, chopped 2 tablespoons fish sauce ½ teaspoon honey 1½ teaspoons five-spice powder 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional) 1–2 tablespoons sunflower oil 150g beansprouts 7–8 Thai basil sprigs 20g coriander, leaves picked 20g mint, leaves picked 4 large romaine or cos leaves

For the nuoc cham dressing

1 garlic clove 25g fresh ginger, finely grated 1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped ¾ tablespoon caster sugar Juice of 1½ limes 2 tablespoons fish sauce

For the peanut sauce

½ tablespoon peanut butter ½ tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon fish sauce Juice of ½ lime n Bash the chicken thighs between two large pieces of parchment paper until really thin. Slice each one into three strips about 1–2 cm wide and set aside. Soak four wooden skewers in cold water for at least 20 minutes. n Pound the lemongrass, garlic and ginger using a pestle and mortar until you have a rough paste, or chop by hand as finely as possible. Add the fish sauce, honey, five-spice powder and oyster sauce (if using) and mix well. Pour over the chicken and marinate for a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally overnight. n For the nuoc cham dressing, pound the garlic, ginger, chilli and sugar in a pestle and mortar until you have a smooth paste. Add the lime juice and fish sauce and mix. Combine all the peanut sauce ingredients together with ½ tablespoon warm water and mix until smooth. n Thread the chicken onto the skewers and allow to come to room temperature for 10 minutes or so. Place a medium frying or griddle pan over a high heat and add the sunflower oil. When really hot, add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes, turning regularly so that it becomes nicely charred and crispy all over. n Dress the beansprouts and herbs with half the dressing, reserving the other half for dipping. Place a generous spoonful of the beansprout mix into a lettuce leaf, top with chicken, drizzle with the peanut sauce and serve with the remaining dressing. Carbs 7g, Sugar 5.5g, Protein 20g, Fibre 1g, Fat 9g, Sat Fat 1.5g, Salt 4.1g, 193 calories