Apologies for my absence over the last few days. On Friday I was invited to a Bond-themed party, and was told to come in fancy dress. I rocked up in full naval rig; finding to my horror that no-one else had bothered, so ended up feeling like an extra from Follow the Fleet surrounded by kids in jeans and t-shirts. Heigh ho.
Anyway, this morning's gem of wisdom is taken from A. A. Gill's excellent book on The Ivy Restaurant in London's Covent Garden. I had a feeling that Bang Bang Chicken was one of those dishes that had been bastardised by British and American Chinese restaurants- but I've discovered that it is a reasonably authentic Szechuan thing.
This is how you make The Ivy version: Spoon 250g smooth peanut butter into a bowl, and place it over a saucepan of hot water for about ten minutes. The peanut butter should soften up- and you need to stir it now and again. Remove from the heat and stir in a dash of sweet chili sauce. Then add five tablespoons of sesame oil, and six tablespoons of vegetable oil. Stir carefully so that they form an emulsion.
Get hold of a smoked chicken, remove the skin, and take the meat off the bone, shredding it as you go. Put to one side.
Now for the Chinese style vegetables. This is easy. It's just two carrots, peeled and finely shredded; spring onions and cucumbers cut into strips, and shredded in the same way. Pile them up on a plate and sprinkle them with rice vinegar. Arrange the chicken on top, and pour over the peanut sauce. Finally, finish the dish off, by sprinkling some toasted sesame seeds on top.
