Wonderful salad
Arik and Philippe discovered this warm salad during a Sunday class at a Chinese cooking school. Arik was only 8 or 9 years old at the time; he begged to be let into the adult class. The teacher, a stern old Chinese man, gave his blessing. Arik's interest and effort won the respect of the other students that first class. On Sunday evenings, the boys made the meal - while practicing their lessons - for the ladies of the house. Over the years, the recipe has evolved but the name remains the same: Wonderful. Like good memories!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs bone-in chicken
- ½ lb daikon radish
- 1 large carrot
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 bunch watercress or 1 head lettuce
- 1 medium cucumber
- 3 scallions, julienned
- 4 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- ½ tsp nigella
- 4 sprigs cilantro
Marinade
- 2 Tbsp sherry or vermouth
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp Tianjin Preserved Vegetable
- Salt pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp ginger, sliced
- 4 scallions
Dressing
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp Reshampatti pepper
- ½ tsp red Sichuan peppercorn toasted and ground (opt.)
- 1 ½ Tbsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup tahini or more
- 3 cloves garlic, grated fine
Method
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1
Place chicken in a deep plate that will fit in a wok or pot. Season with marinade. Let marinate 30 minutes (if you have time). Place plate on a steamer over boiling water. Cover the wok or pot and cook for 30 minutes.
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2
Make sure chicken is cooked (with a small knife). Meat should be white without a trace of pink. Cook for a few more minutes, if needed.
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3
While chicken is cooking, cut daikon and carrot into 3-inch juliennes. Place in a bowl, salt and mix. Let stand.
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4
Place chicken on a plate; discard ginger and scallions.
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5
Strain chicken juices into a small pot. There should be about one cup of juice; add water if needed.
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6
Bring to a boil and incorporate honey, vinegar, chile, Sichuan peppercorn and sesame oil. Incorporate tahini; stir continuously. Dressing should be velvety and creamy. Thicken with more tahini or dilute with a little water if needed. Add garlic, then taste; add salt or vinegar to your plate.
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7
Place watercress on a large plate. Rinse and drain the carrot and daikon on a paper towel; place on the watercress. Shred chicken with two forks. Place on top of vegetables.
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8
Pour dressing over chicken. Slice cucumber and place around the plate. Decorate with scallions, sesame, nigella and cilantro.
