Recipe: Steamed Chicken Salad with Sesame Sauce (Japanese)

STEAMED CHICKEN SALAD WITH SESAME SAUCE

3 to 4 green onions
2 small cucumbers
Salt and pepper
10 ounces boneless chicken thighs with skin
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sake
Small piece of ginger, crushed
FOR THE SESAME SAUCE:
2 tablespoons liquid from the juices of the cooked chicken
2 tablespoons sesame paste*
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
3/4 tablespoon rice vinegar
3/4 teaspoon to ban jan (chile paste)
1 tablespoon roughly ground sesame seeds
1 tablespoon finely shredded green onions
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

Finely slice the green onions diagonally, reserving the green part for use during cooking the chicken.

On a cutting board, sprinkle the cucumbers with one-fourth teaspoon salt, rubbing it into the flesh, then rinse. Hit the cucumbers with a pestle (if you don't have a pestle, use a bottle) and break them apart with your hands, to make uneven pieces.

Pierce the chicken pieces with a skewer or toothpick, and place in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add one-fourth teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon pepper, the oil and sake and then place the green part of the onion and the crushed ginger on top.

Cover and microwave on medium for 4 minutes or until cooked. Leave to cool. Keep the juice from the chicken to use in the sesame sauce.

Shred the chicken with your hands and place it in a serving dish.

TO MAKE THE SESAME SAUCE:
In a small bowl, mix the juices from the chicken, the sesame paste, soy sauce, superfine sugar, vinegar, chile paste, sesame seeds, green onions, ginger and garlic.

TO SERVE:
Pour enough sauce to coat the chicken, then drizzle over the cucumber.

*Tahini or natural peanut butter can be substituted for the sesame paste.

Servings: 2 to 4
Adapted from source: Harumi's Japanese Cooking by Harumi Kurihara