Bang Bang Chicken

Bang Bang Chicken, otherwise known, as Bon Bon Chicken or Strange-Flavor Chicken is a popular Sichuanese dish. Basically, it’s cold shredded chicken dressed with a salty, sweet, sour, nutty, hot, and numbing sauce. The recipe calls for Chinese sesame paste; but, I have used Tahini instead. The crushed roasted peanuts and cucumber are optional ingredients; but, I think the dish actually tastes better with them.



Recipe adapted from Sichuan Cookery by Fuchsia Dunlop

Bang Bang Chicken

Ingredients

300-400 g (about 1/2 a chicken) Cold Chicken Meat
6-8 Scallions (Spring Onions), white parts only
1 Tbsp White Sugar
Sea Salt to taste
1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Chinkiang or Black Chinese Vinegar
3 Tbsp Well-blended Chinese Sesame Paste
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Chili Oil with Chili Flakes
1/2-1 tsp Ground Roasted Sichuan Pepper
3 tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
50 g Roasted Peanuts, crushed (optional)
1 - 2 Medium Size Cucumber, shredded (optional)

Method

Cut the chicken, with any remaining skin, into slivers about a centimeter wide. (If you want to be really authentic, hit it a few times with a rolling-pin to loosen the fibers and then tear the flesh into shreds by hand.)

Cut the scallions into sections and then slice these lengthwise into fine slivers. Put them into a bowl of cold water to refresh.

Dissolve the sugar and salt in the soy sauce and vinegar. Gradually stir in the sesame paste to make a smooth sauce. Add the other ingredients except the sesame seeds and mix well.

Shortly before serving, drain the scallions and pile them neatly in the center of your serving dish. lay the chicken slivers on top of them. Pour over the prepared sauce.

At the last minute, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and peanuts.


Note: Cucumber can be used instead of scallions - it's best to sprinkle the pieces lightly with salt at least 30 minutes before you need them, to let some of their water drain away. The cucumber should be cut into thin strips to complement the chicken slivers.