Spicy Vietnamese Chicken Salad With Mint & Cilantro

Chicken

• 2 ounces ginger, skinned and thinly sliced
• 4 chicken breasts

Salad

• 1/2 large seedless cucumber, peeled , halved lengthwise and cut into matchsticks
• 1 bunch spring onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
• 1/2 bunch mint, leaves picked
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves picked
• 2 ounces roasted peanuts, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seed

Dressing

• 1/3 cup fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon corn flour
• 1 red or green hot chile (jalapeno, or serrano can be used as well), seeded to taste
• 1 garlic clove chopped

Preparing the chicken

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large shallow pan with the sliced ginger.
2. Add chicken and simmer over high heat for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and cool in liquid for up to an hour.

Preparing the dressing

1. Slowly bring fish sauce, vinegar, lime juice, and sugar to a boil in a medium sized saucepan over low heat.
2. Mix corn flour with 1 teaspoon cold water.
3. Stir into the dressing and allow to simmer until thickened, about a minute.
4. Remove from heat and cool.
5. When dressing has cooled add garlic and chopped hot pepper.

Assembling the dish

1. Remove chicken, now cooled from the water in the pan.
2. Remove skin, and shred meat into long strips.
3. Combine with salad ingredients in a large serv