Szechuan Chicken - Bang Bang Chicken

This Szechuan Chicken dish has the rather curious name of Bang Bang Chicken, apparently because of the sound made tenderizing the chicken with a rolling pin. Bang Bang Chicken is popular in Chinese restaurants but you can easily make it at home. Szechuan Bang Bang Chicken makes a delicious starter and can be served with a few Cos Lettuce leaves.

Ingredients for Szechuan Chicken – Bang Bang Chicken

2 Chicken Breast halves
1 Chicken Leg
1 Small Cucumber
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Sesame Seed Paste
1 Tsp Sugar
2 Tsp red Chili Oil
1 Tsp Szechuan Peppercorns, roughly ground
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 Spring Onion, (Scallion) finely chopped
1 Tbsp White Sesame Seeds
1 Pinch of Salt

Method

1. Place the chicken pieces in a large pan and add water to cover. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

2. When the chicken is cooked, remove the pieces from the pan and place in cold water for about 1 hour to cool.

3. Peel the cucumber and cut into matchstick size pieces.

4. To Make the sauce add the sesame seed paste, chili oil, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, Sezchuan pepper, salt, spring onions and sesame seeds together in a small bowl and mix well.

5. When cold, remove the chicken from the bones and beat with a rolling pin to tenderize it. Using two forks, shred the chicken into small strips.

6. Mix the shredded chicken and the cucumber sticks together and place on a shallow dish

7. Pour a little of the sauce mix over the chicken and cucumber and put the remaining sauce into a small dish and serve.