Family favourites
You don’t have to make a meal of chicken breasts with a coating of 11 secret herbs and spices and deep-frying them. These recipes celebrate the humble selection in their own right.
Don’t be put off by the lengthy ist of ingredients, this is simple to put together, and there’s only one pot to wash up at the end. For the dressing: cup fish sauce cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, smashed to a paste with teaspoon salt
a small red chilli, finely sliced 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil small bowl or lidded jar and stirring or shaking until well combined. Set aside.
Put the chicken breasts in a medium pot big enough for them both to fit in a single layer on the bottom. Add the ginger, garlic, spring onions, soy sauce and wine, then pour over enough water to cover the chicken by about 2cm.
Set over medium heat and bring to a very gentle simmer, skimming off any murky froth from the top. Lower the heat so the water is barely simmering and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (the juices should run clear when you remove it from the pot and plunge a skewer into it). Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Scoop the garlic, ginger and spring onions from the liquid and discard them. Raise the heat and add another cup of water. Bring the liquid to a boil, then drop in the rice vermicelli. Turn off the heat and let the noodles soften in the liquid. When they are opaque and pliable, tip them into a sieve to drain, then into a large bowl. Toss through the sesame oil and set aside.
Rinse the pot and fill it with about 5cm of water. Cover and bring to the boil, then add the green beans and cook for about three minutes, until bright green and still crunchy. Drain and refresh the beans under cold running water, then dry with a clean tea towel and add to the noodles with the cucumber, spring onions and most of the herbs.
Cut the chicken into chunks and add to the salad. Pour over the dressing and toss well, then scatter over the peanuts and remaining herbs. Serve immediately. Any leftovers should be covered, stored in the fridge and eaten within two days.