Cucumbers are rarely served raw in China; they are delicious cooked. In this recipe they are stir-fried with delicate chicken breasts and flavoured with garlic and chilli.
| Light and fresh |
| Preparation time 30 minutes |
| Serves 4 |
450 g (1 lb) (about 2) cucumber
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon groundnut (peanut) oil
450 g (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes
1½ tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onions (scallions)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons chilli bean sauce or chilli powder
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 Peel the cucumber, halve it lengthways and remove the seeds with a teaspoon. Then cut it into 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes, sprinkle with the salt and leave in a colander to drain for 20 minutes (this removes excess moisture). Rinse the cucumber cubes in cold running water and blot them dry with kitchen paper.
2 Heat a wok or large frying pan until it is very hot. Add the groundnut oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the chicken and stir-fry for a few seconds.
3 Add all the remaining ingredients except the cucumber and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Now add the cucumber cubes and stir-fry for another 3 minutes. Serve at once.