Hot and sour chicken

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

2 cups hot vegetable or chicken stock

splash of soy sauce

2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (preferably free-range), about 6oz (175g) each

2–4 tbsp Thai tom yum paste

1 bunch of scallions, sliced

8oz (225g) mushrooms, halved or quartered, if large

6 tomatoes, peeled and quartered

splash of Asian fish sauce, such as nam pla

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1 To poach the chicken, bring the stock and soy sauce to a boil in a large pan. Add the chicken, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10–15 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Slice or shred when cool enough to handle.

2 Stir the tom yum paste into the stock until it dissolves, then add the scallions, mushrooms, and tomatoes, and simmer for 5–8 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan.

3 If the liquid has reduced too much during cooking, add more stock. Add a splash of fish sauce, taste, and season accordingly with salt and pepper or add more fish sauce. Serve hot.

Cook’s NoTEs:

Tom yum paste is available in most large supermarkets, and specialist Asian food stores.

Hot and sour chicken