Chicken & spring green bun cha

Ingredients


  • 100 g frozen edamame beans
  • 1 stick of lemongrass
  • 5 cm piece of ginger
  • 1 large fresh red chilli
  • 1½ tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon low-salt soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons runny honey
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 limes
  • 4 free-range skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 x 225 g packet of vermicelli
  • 2 large shallots
  • 2 spring onions
  • ½ a bunch of fresh Thai basil
  • ½ a bunch of fresh mint
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 200 g baby spinach
  • 150 g broad beans

Description

  1. Before you start, leave the edamame beans to defrost.
  2. Remove and discard the tough outer leaves from the lemongrass, then finely chop. Peel and grate the ginger, then deseed and finely chop the chilli.
  3. Place in a large bowl with the sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, the zest from 1 lime and the juice from 2 limes. Mix well, then pour half into a small bowl.
  4. Add the chicken to the large bowl, give it a stir and leave to marinate while you prepare the rest of the dish. Add the rice wine vinegar to the small bowl – this will be your salad dressing.
  5. Pod the defrosted edamame beans, then cook in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
  6. Cook the vermicelli according to the packet instructions, then drain.
  7. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Place the chicken in a small roasting tin lined with tinfoil and pop in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
  8. Peel and finely slice the shallots. Trim and chop the spring onions on the diagonal, then pick the herb leaves.
  9. Heat the oil in a small, heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shallots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a tray lined with kitchen paper.
  10. Combine the noodles with the remaining dressing, baby spinach, spring onion, broad beans and herbs. Top with the chicken and garnish with the shallots.