This dish is nibble food or you can even call it a salad because of the cucumbers. Some call it Bang Bang Chicken, some call it Bon Bon Chicken. Pick the name you like. This is street food from China's spicy Sichuan province. You can make it very spicy (flaming hot) or you may choose to make it mild. All you do is adjust the sauce ingredients to your taste. Today I made it not-so-spicy and more 'peanuty'. Hubby likes it that way.
Bang Bang Chicken
Chicken thighs or whole chicken
Black Peppercorns
Sichuan peppers
Lemon Grass stalks
Kaffir Lime leaves
Aji no Moto
Sesame oil
Salt
Shallots
Dark Soy Sauce
Rice Vinegar
Peanut Butter / Toasted Peanut Powder (unsalted)
Palm sugar
Chili Oil
Sesame seeds
Cucumber
1. Add water to a deep sauce pan. Add salt, pepper corns, Sichuan peppers, lemon grass stalks, kaffir lime leaves, a pinch of Aji no moto, sesame oil. Bring to rolling boil.
2. Wash chicken and pat dry. Add the chicken to the boiling water and simmer for about 40-45 minutes. You are poaching the chicken and the spices in the boiling water will give the chicken a wonderful aroma. Do not worry about the fat in chicken, after boiling, and the next step, the fat is dissociated.
3. After the chicken is done, immediately cool it in a bath of ice water. If using whole chicken, take off the skin and break the chicken apart. You may want to save the skin for deep frying later - deep fried chicken rinds are great as garnish on salads and other curry dishes.
4. On a flat cutting board, take the chicken pieces (debone if using whole chicken) and using a rolling pin flatten the prices. They will get shredded. I like using the rolling pin instead of just shredding by hand. By using the rolling pin, you bruise the chicken and release the flavor from the cells, I think.
5. Slice shallots. Add dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oils, peanut butter/ powder, chili oil, palm sugar, sesame seeds, and mix well. Adjust ingredients to suit your taste. To make it spicy, add chilies and reduce peanuts.
6. Cut cucumber in half, scoop out the seeds, then slice them in 1 inch slivers. I don't peel the cucumbers, but you may if you want.
7. Put the chicken in the middle of the plate, Surround it with cucumbers. Add the sauce on the chicken. It's ready to serve. You can garnish it with minced green onions, red chilies, etc. I have use some chili oil toasted peanuts here with a baby kaffir lime leaf from my garden.
This is a cold dish and it stays well in the refrigerator for couple days. It's excellent for lunch. Low fat, and very tasty. I recommend that you do use kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass for poaching, they make the chicken so fragrant. But if you do not have those, use lime juice. You may omit Aji no Moto if you want, but that too gives the dish a distinct umami flavor. And by the way, all the stories about MSG causing cancer is just nonsense - just use it sparingly and not as table salt and you will be fine. Life is about enjoying everything in moderation!
Bang Bang Chicken
Chicken thighs or whole chicken
Black Peppercorns
Sichuan peppers
Lemon Grass stalks
Kaffir Lime leaves
Aji no Moto
Sesame oil
Salt
Shallots
Dark Soy Sauce
Rice Vinegar
Peanut Butter / Toasted Peanut Powder (unsalted)
Palm sugar
Chili Oil
Sesame seeds
Cucumber
1. Add water to a deep sauce pan. Add salt, pepper corns, Sichuan peppers, lemon grass stalks, kaffir lime leaves, a pinch of Aji no moto, sesame oil. Bring to rolling boil.
2. Wash chicken and pat dry. Add the chicken to the boiling water and simmer for about 40-45 minutes. You are poaching the chicken and the spices in the boiling water will give the chicken a wonderful aroma. Do not worry about the fat in chicken, after boiling, and the next step, the fat is dissociated.
3. After the chicken is done, immediately cool it in a bath of ice water. If using whole chicken, take off the skin and break the chicken apart. You may want to save the skin for deep frying later - deep fried chicken rinds are great as garnish on salads and other curry dishes.
4. On a flat cutting board, take the chicken pieces (debone if using whole chicken) and using a rolling pin flatten the prices. They will get shredded. I like using the rolling pin instead of just shredding by hand. By using the rolling pin, you bruise the chicken and release the flavor from the cells, I think.
5. Slice shallots. Add dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oils, peanut butter/ powder, chili oil, palm sugar, sesame seeds, and mix well. Adjust ingredients to suit your taste. To make it spicy, add chilies and reduce peanuts.
6. Cut cucumber in half, scoop out the seeds, then slice them in 1 inch slivers. I don't peel the cucumbers, but you may if you want.
7. Put the chicken in the middle of the plate, Surround it with cucumbers. Add the sauce on the chicken. It's ready to serve. You can garnish it with minced green onions, red chilies, etc. I have use some chili oil toasted peanuts here with a baby kaffir lime leaf from my garden.
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| Bang Bang Chicken |
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