Rice Wine Poached Chicken and Soba Noodle Salad

Place all of the ingredients except the chicken into a large stock pot and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavours. Add the chicken, breast side down and very gently poach
for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the chicken to sit in the stock for 2 hours to finish the cooking process.

Place the ginger and palm sugar in a mortar and pestle or small food processor and pound/blend until you have a coarse paste.
Add the fish sauce, lime juice and sweet chilli sauce. Set aside.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove all the meat, discarding the skin and bones and shred. Cook the beans in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and refresh in cold water.
Soak the onion in cold water for 10 minutes and drain. Cook the noodles in boiling water until tender, drain and refresh in cold water. Drain again and toss with a little peanut oil.

Place the chicken, beans, cucumber, onion, coriander leaves and half the peanuts or shallots in a large bowl. Combine well then toss through half the dressing. In another bowl, toss the remaining
dressing and peanuts or shallots through the soba noodles. Lay the noodles on a serving platter and pile the chicken salad on top.

Garnish with a sprinkling of coriander leaves, peanuts or shallots.Serve immediately. Serves 6

Sliced roasted shallots can be purchased from Asian stores. Crisp and sweet, sprinkle them over salads, or onto soups.

Shaoxing rice wine is made from rice, millet, yeast and water. The cooking wine is fairly rough and undrinkable, but the fine wines for drinking can be likened to fino sherry. In fact a dry sherry makes a suitable alternative. Shaoxing is readily available in Asian stores