Coconut chicken salad

Ingredients

400ml can coconut milk

200ml water

1 stalk lemongrass

2 large slices ginger

2 tablespoons palm sugar

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 small chicken breasts

2 long red chillies, seeded, sliced thinly

3 small green Thai chillies, sliced thinly

4 red eschalots, sliced thinly

6 kaffir lime leaves, shredded finely

½ cup coriander leaves

½ cup mint leaves

1 cup bean sprouts

½ cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons reserved coconut broth

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 teaspoons fish sauce

2 teaspoons palm sugar, extra

2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped coarsely (optional)

crisp-fried shallots, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Combine all but half a cup of the coconut milk, the water, the tough green top half of the lemongrass (which you have bruised with the back of a knife), ginger, palm sugar and fish sauce in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
2. Add chicken breasts; reduce heat and simmer gently until chicken is just cooked.
3. Cool in coconut broth for 20 minutes; reserve 2 tablespoons of the poaching liquid (although the poaching liquid does not look terribly beautiful, this appearance is hidden in the final dressing by the other ingredients. It adds a beautiful roundness from the ingredients included in the poaching liquid.)
4. Meanwhile, thinly slice remaining lemongrass. Combine lemongrass, chillies, eschalots, kaffir lime, coriander and mint leaves and bean sprouts in a large bowl; slice the chicken thinly and toss to combine with chillies, etc.
5. Combine coconut milk, reserved coconut broth, fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar in a small jug. Stir well to dissolve sugar. Check seasoning; the balance of the dressing should be rich, salty, sweet and sour
6. Gently toss dressing through the salad. Sprinkle with roasted peanuts and fried shallots if using.