Asian sesame chicken noodle salad

By Birgitta

Instead of the usual heavy peanut sauce, this recipe uses a sesame seeds. Kejap Manis is a sweet Indonesian soy sauce you can find in any Asian market.

Adapted from 'Delicious Days' by Nicole Stich.

Ingredients

• 250 g boneless chicken breasts
• salt
• 3 tbsp cooking oil (peanut, vegetable or canola)
• 1/2 large red chili pepper, sliced
• 1 cucumber, washed and thinly sliced
• 1-2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
• 5 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, divided
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 4 tbsp kejap manis
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 100 g thin, dried Japanese or Chinese noodles (such as somen or soba)

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from steamykitchen.com

Preparation

Step 1

Place the chicken breasts in a pot with lightly salted water (enough water to cover the chicken.) Bring to a boil, immediately reduce heat and cook in the barely simmering water for 10-15 minutes until done. Test for doneness. Remove chicken and let cool. Return water back to boil and cook the noodles according to package instructions and drain.

Heat a wok or frying pan with the cooking oil, Sichuan peppercorns and red chili pepper until the peppercorns unfolds its aroma. Add the cucumber and fry for 30 seconds. Let cool.

In a mortar, crush the garlic and just 4 tablespoons of the sesame seeds until it forms a rough paste. You can also do this in a blender. Add the remaining tablespoon of sesame seeds, kejap manis, sesame oil and about 5 tablespoons of water. Stir the sesame sauce.

Shred the cooked chicken meat, toss with the sesame sauce along with the oil/peppercorn/pepper mixture and drained noodles.