Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
900g/2lb chicken, boned, skinned and cubed
575ml/1 pint/2/1/2 cups water
6 green cardamom pods
1 piece cinnamon stick, 5cm/2in long
4-6 curry leaves
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 cloves garlic, crushed
12 whole peppercorns
4 cloves
1 onion, finely chopped
115g/4oz coconut cream block
salt, to taste
juice of 2 lemons
deep-fried onions, to garnish
coriander leaves, chopped, to garnish

Chicken Mulligatawny

Place the chicken in a large pan with the water and cook until the chicken is tender. Skim the surface, then strain, reserving the stock and keeping the chicken warm.

Return the stock to the pan and reheat. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the chicken, deep-fried onions and coriander. Simmer for

10-15 minutes, then strain and return the chicken to the soup. Reheat, garnish with deep-fried onions and chopped coriander and serve.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
115g/4oz chicken breast fillet
115g/4oz honey-roast ham
115g/4oz peeled prawns (shrimp)
700ml/1/1/4 pints/3 cups Basic Stock
salt, to taste

Three-delicacy Soup

Thinly slice the chicken and ham into small pieces. If the prawns (shrimp) are large, cut each in half lengthways.

In a wok or saucepan, bring the stock to a rolling boil, add the chicken, ham and prawns (shrimp). Bring back to the boil, add the salt and simmer for 1 minute. Serve hot.

Cook’s Tips

Fresh, uncooked praw/is impart the best flavour. If these are not available you can use ready-cooked prawns. They must be added at the last stage to prevent over-cooking.

Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
2 chicken breast fillets, skinned
1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 piece fresh ginger, 12mm/1/2 in long, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp rice or white wine vinegar
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp fish sauce (optional)
115g/4oz bean sprouts
1 head Chinese leaves, roughly shredded
2 medium carrots, cut into thin sticks
1 red onion, cut into fine rings
2 large gherkins (pickles), sliced

Hot and Sour Chicken Salad

Slice the chicken thinly, place in a shallow bowl and set aside. Grind the chilli, ginger and garlic in a pestle and mortar. Add the peanut butter, coriander, sugar and salt.

Then add the vinegar, 2 tbsp of the oil and the fish sauce if using. Combine well. Cover the chicken with the spice mixture and leave to marinate for at least 2—3 hours.

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the chicken and cook for 10-12 minutes, tossing the meat occasionally. Serve arranged on the salad.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
325g/11 oz chicken breast fillet, skin removed
200g/7oz prawn (shrimp) tails, fresh or cooked
1 tsp finely-chopped fresh ginger
2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
1 egg
2 tsp oyster sauce (optional) salt and pepper
1 packet wonton skins
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) paste
850ml/1/1/2 pints/3/3/4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 spring onion (scallion), roughly shredded, to garnish
4 sprigs coriander leaves, to garnish
1 tomato, skinned, seeded and diced, to garnish

Chicken Wonton Soup with Prawns (Shrimp)

Place the chicken breast, 150g/5oz prawn (shrimp) tails, ginger and spring onions (scallions) in a food processor and mix for 2-3 minutes.

Add the egg, oyster sauce and seasoning and process briefly. Set aside.

Place 8 wonton skins at a time on a surface, moisten the edges with flour paste and place 1/2 tsp of the filling in the centre of each. Fold in

half and pinch to seal. Simmer in salted water for 4 minutes.

Bring the chicken stock to the boil, add the remaining prawn (shrimp) tails and the cucumber and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add the wontons

and simmer to warm through. Garnish and serve hot.

Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
2 X 175g/6oz chicken breasts, on the bone
1/2 chicken stock cube
400g/14oz canned coconut milk
1 piece galingal or fresh ginger, 2cm/3/4 in long, finely chopped
1 piece lemon grass, 7.5cm/3in long
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp chopped coriander root, or stem
2-3 small red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce
5 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 lime leaves
225g/8oz fresh or cooked prawn (shrimp) tails, peeled and de-veined
juice of 1 lime
4 sprigs coriander, chopped, to garnish
2 spring onions (scallions), green part only, to garnish
4 large red chillies, sliced, to garnish

Thai Chicken and Prawn (Shrimp) Soup

Cover the chicken with water, add stock cube, and simmer for 45 minutes. Slice the meat into strips (discard skin), and return to stock. Add coconut milk and simmer.

Blend the lemon grass, galingal or ginger, garlic, coriander and chillies. Add this to the stock with the fish sauce, sugar, salt and lime leaves. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Just before serving, add the prawns (shrimp) and lime juice. Simmer for 5 minutes. Decorate with the coriander, spring onions (scallions) and chillies.

Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
900g/2lb chicken drumsticks or thighs
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp caraway or cumin seeds
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp paprika
1 piece fresh ginger, 2cm/3/4 in long
3 cloves garlic, crushed
15g/1/2 oz coriander, white root or stem, finely chopped
3 tbsp vegetable oil salt, to season
6-8 lettuce leaves, to serve
1/2 cucumber, cut into strips, to garnish
4 spring onions (scallions), trimmed, to garnish
2 limes, quartered, to garnish

Thai Grilled Chicken

Chop through the narrow end of each drumstick with a heavy knife. Score the chicken pieces deeply to allow the marinade to penetrate.

Set aside in a shallow bowl.

Grind the peppercorns, caraway or cumin seeds and sugar in a pestle and mortar or a food processor. Add the paprika, ginger, garlic,

coriander and oil and grind.

Spread the marinade over the chicken and chill for 6 hours. Cook the chicken under a moderate grill for 20 minutes, turning once. Season,

arrange on lettuce, and garnish.

Makes 12 skewers and 8 wing pieces
INGREDIENTS
4 chicken thighs, skinned
4 spring onions (scallions), blanched and cut into short lengths
8 chicken wings

Basting sauce
4 tbsp sake
75ml/5 tbsp/1/3 cup dark soy sauce
2 tbsp Tamari sauce
3 tbsp Mirin, or sweet sherry
4 tbsp sugar

Barbecue-glazed Chicken Skewers

Bone the chicken thighs and cut the meat into large dice. Thread the spring onions (scallions) and chicken onto 12 skewers.

To prepare the chicken wings, remove the wing tip at the first joint. Chop through the second joint, revealing the two narrow bones. Take

hold of the bones with a clean cloth and pull, turning the meat around the bones inside out. Remove the smaller bone and set aside.

Measure the basting sauce ingredients into a stainless steel or enamel saucepan and simmer until reduced by two-thirds. Cool. Heat the

grill (broiler) to a moderately high temperature. Grill (broil) the skewers without applying any oil. When juices begin to emerge from the chicken

baste liberally with the basting sauce. Allow a further 3 minutes for the chicken on skewers and not more than 5 minutes for the wings.

Serves
INGREDIENTS
285g/10 oz dried egg noodles
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
50g/2oz canned water chestnuts, sliced
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce, or strong chicken stock
175g/6oz cooked chicken breast, sliced
150g/5oz cooked ham, thickly sliced, cut into short fingers
225g/8oz prawn (shrimp) tails, cooked and peeled
175g/6oz bean sprouts
200g/7oz canned baby corn-cobs, drained
2 limes, cut into wedges, to garnish
1 small bunch coriander, shredded, to garnish

Noodles with Chicken, Prawns (Shrimp) and Ham

Cook the noodles according to the packet. Drain and set aside.

Fry the onion, garlic and ginger until soft. Add the chestnuts, sauces and meat.

Add the noodles, bean sprouts and corn cobs. Stir-fry for 6—8 minutes.

Serves

INGREDIENTS

45ml/3 tbsp olive oil
30ml/2 tbsp hazelnut oil
15ml/1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
15ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh mixed herbs
225g/8oz baby spinach leaves
250g/9oz cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bunch of spring onions (scallions), chopped
2 skinless, chicken breast fillets, cut into thin strips
salt and ground black pepper

WARM CHICKEN AND TOMATO SALAD WITH HAZELNUT DRESSING

First make the dressing: place 30ml/2 tbsp of the olive oil, the hazelnut oil, vinegar, garlic and chopped herbs in a small bowl or jug (pitcher) and whisk together until mixed. Set aside.

Trim any long stalks from the spinach leaves, then place in a large serving bowl with the tomatoes and spring onions, and toss together to mix.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan, and stir-fry the chicken over a high heat for 7-10 minutes, until it is cooked, tender and lightly browned.

Arrange the cooked chicken pieces over the salad. Give the dressing a quick whisk to blend, then drizzle it over the salad. Add salt and pepper to taste, toss lightly and serve immediately.

Variations

• Use other meat or fish, such as steak, pork fillet (tenderloin) or salmon fillet, in place of the chicken.
• Any salad leaves can be used instead of the baby spinach.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast portions, total weight about 450g/llb
1 garlic clove, crushed
2.5ml/1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 small onion, halved
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into thin strips
salt and ground black pepper

For the sauce
45ml/3 tbsp toasted sesame paste
15ml/l tbsp light soy sauce
15ml/l tbsp wine vinegar
2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
5 x 1cm/2 x 1/2in piece fresh
root ginger, peeled and cut into thin batons
15ml/1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, dry-fried and crushed
5ml/1 tsp light brown sugar

For the chilli oil
60ml/4 tbsp groundnut (peanut) oil
5rml/l tsp chilli powder

Bang Bang Chicken

Place the chicken in a large, heavy pan. Pour in sufficient water just to cover, add the garlic, peppercorns and onion and bring to the boil

over a medium heat. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface, stir in salt and pepper to taste, then cover the pan. Lower the heat and cook

for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken is just tender. Drain, reserving the stock.

Make the sauce by mixing the toasted sesame paste with 45ml/3 tbsp of the chicken stock, saving the rest for soup. Add the soy sauce,

vinegar, spring onions, garlic, ginger and crushed peppercorns to the sesame mixture. Stir in sugar to taste.

Make the chilli oil by gently heating the oil and chilli powder together until foaming. Simmer for 2 minutes, cool, then strain off the

red-coloured oil and discard the sediment.

Spread out the cucumber batons on a platter. Cut the chicken breast portions into pieces of about the same size as the cucumber strips

and arrang them on top. Pour over the sauce, drizzle on the chilli oil and serve.

Variation

Crunchy peanut butter can be used instead of sesame paste, if you like. Mix it with 30ml/2 tbsp sesame oil and proceed in making the sauce.