Sticky five-spice chicken wraps with nuoc cham and peanut sauce

SERVES 4

4 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

1 stalk lemongrass

3 garlic cloves, peeled

25g ginger, peeled and freshly chopped

2tbsp fish sauce

½tsp honey

1½tsp five-spice powder

1tbsp oyster sauce (optional) 150g bean sprouts bunch Thai basil

20g coriander, leaves picked 20g mint, leaves picked

4 large romaine or cos leaves 1-2tbsp sunflower oil

For the nuoc cham dressing

1 garlic clove, peeled

25g ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped

¾tbsp caster sugar juice 1½ limes

2tbsp fish sauce

For the peanut sauce

½tbsp peanut butter ½tbsp soy sauce 1tsp fish sauce juice ½ lime

4 wooden skewers pestle and mortar

Bash the chicken thighs between two large pieces of parchment paper until thin. Slice each one into three strips and set aside. Soak the wooden skewers in cold water for at least 20 minutes.

Pound the lemongrass, garlic and ginger in the pestle and mortar until you have a rough paste. Add the fish sauce, honey, five-spice powder and oyster sauce, if using. Mix well, pour over the chicken and allow to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours.

To make the nuoc cham dressing, pound the garlic, ginger, chilli and sugar to a smooth paste in the pestle and mortar. Add the lime juice and fish sauce and combine well. Set aside.

Combine all the peanut sauce ingredients with ½ tablespoon warm water and mix until smooth.

Thread the chicken on to the skewers and allow to come to room temperature for 10 minutes or so. Place a frying pan or griddle pan over a high heat and add the sunflower oil. When the pan is really hot, add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes, turning regularly so that it becomes nicely charred and crispy all over.

Dress the bean sprouts and herbs with half the nuoc cham dressing, reserving the other half for dipping. Place a spoonful of the bean sprout mix on a lettuce leaf, top with chicken, drizzle with the peanut sauce and serve alongside the leftover nuoc cham.