THANK SHALLOT

THIS DELICATE DISH COMES ALIVE WITH A ZINGY DRESSING, WARMING GINGER AND A HINT OF CHILLI

I love the subtle taste and texture of poached chicken. It makes for a different relationship with the accompanying flavours. Here seaweed and ginger give the dish a delicate fragrance and the shallot oil gives length of flavour. Use the stock in a soup with leftover chicken, or toss through noodles with a dressing of lime, sugar, fish sauce, chilli and soy. WHITE CUT CHICKEN, SEAWEED, GREEN MANGO, SHALLOT OIL Serves: 6 INGREDIENTS

250ml Chinese rice wine 2 bunches green shallots, green ends only

3 cloves garlic, sliced

2 large knobs ginger, 1 peeled and sliced, 1 peeled and julienned

1.2kg whole chicken

1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped

150ml vegetable oil

Salt

½ bunch green shallots, pale green/white part, finely chopped

Sesame seaweed salad, available from Asian and specialist grocers Pickled green mango, to serve

METHOD

Place rice wine, 1 bunch of shallots, garlic, sliced ginger and 3.5 litres water into a pot that will snugly fit the chicken. Bring to boil, add the chicken and return to boil, then reduce heat to a high simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 mins then remove from heat and stand for 30 mins. Lift chicken from the liquid then plunge into a large bowl of iced water for 15 mins. Drain well then refrigerate for a few hours before using. To make shallot oil, combine the second bunch of shallots, green chilli and vegetable oil in a small pot. Heat until just bearable then remove from heat, blitz until smooth then pass through a fine strainer. Set aside. Remove skin from chicken, remove meat from bones and shred into strips. Combine with ginger julienne, a pinch of salt, chopped shallots, shallot oil, seaweed and mango and toss well to combine.