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It’s hard to make one’s choice when more than half of a cookery book has been marked to be tested…. (If you have been following my latest culinary discoveries, you will not be surprised \u00a0if I say I talk about “Sichuan Cookery” by Fuchsia Dunlop<\/a>). I always hesitate between the famous recipes I want to test, the easy and quick no-fuss dishes and of course the intriguing ones. Bang Bang Chicken (Bang bang ji si) falls into the latter category and not only by its amusing name (which makes me hum a certain film soundtrack for two last days…) but, as I later learnt, also by its unusual flavours.<\/p>\n I suppose that to many of you Bang Bang Chicken is as familiar as Gong Bao\/Kung Pao Chicken<\/a>. To me, however, it has only recalled a vaguely Asian dish, but nothing else. For those, who, like me, have never seen this famous dish, it’s composed of boiled cold chicken, torn into pieces and dressed with a very particular sauce. If one takes into consideration the onion or\/and the cucumber the chicken is served with, the dish might be called a chicken salad.<\/p>\n The words “bang bang” come from the wooden cudgel (“bang” in Mandarin) used to “beat” the cooked chicken so that its fibers \u00a0loosen and it becomes easier to be torn into pieces. A very similar dish is \u00a0called “Strange-Flavour Chicken (Guai wei ji si) due to the unusual combination of the sauce flavours (salty, sweet, sour, nutty, hot, numbing). The difference between these two Sichuan dishes is minimal. \u00a0According to the chefs cited by Fuchsia Dunlop, Bang Bang Chicken should be more “hot and numbing” than its close cousin.\u00a0Otherwise, the basic ingredients and the method remain identical.<\/p>\n I took out the chicken breasts and thought I would prepare a quick lunch. Alas, the preparation is not as quick as it seems or looks. First the chicken needs to be boiled and slowly cooled. The Sichuan pepper, sesame seeds or peanuts need to be toasted (although the former two ingredients are very handy in other Sichuanese dishes and can be prepared in bigger amounts). Onions need to be soaked in water and cucumbers salted for at least 20 minutes… The time and effort were certainly worth it because the dish is a pure delight and the strange-flavour sauce makes the first bite an unforgettable experience.<\/p>\n Even though I kept the sauce as genuine as I could, I must confess a slight modification concerning the chicken preparation. First of all, instead of cooking the whole bird, I used two skinless breasts found in the freezer (thus the meat didn’t need any beating). I have also slightly modified the boiling liquid, using a cube of chicken stock with fresh ginger. If you want to see the original recipe, I strongly advise buying Fuchsia Dunlop’s book<\/a>. It’s a rare jewel.<\/p>\n I have also prepared several other recipes from the Sichuan Cookery<\/a>; all turned out excellent. Until now I have posted:<\/p>\n Steamed Aubergine with Chili Sauce<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.withaglass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/staup-150x150.png\" "\\"staup\\"")
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