Ingredients
1 lb. boneless and skinless chicken breasts
3 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. Asian sesame oil
1/2 jalapeño pepper
1 piece fresh ginger
2 c. water
1 head green cabbage
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tbsp. Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
1 1/2 tbsp. lime juice
3 carrots
3 radishes
4 scallions including green tops
2 c. coarse-chopped mint
1 tart apple
Preparation
Step 1Rub the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. In a medium saucepan, combine the jalapeño, ginger and water. Bring to a simmer, add the chicken, and cover the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the chicken steam for 5 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the saucepan; when they are cool enough to handle, pull them into shreds.Step 2Meanwhile, in a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the cabbage with the vinegar, fish sauce, lime juice and the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Toss and let stand for 10 minutes.Step 3Add the carrots, radishes, scallions, 1 1/2 cups of the herbs and the apple to the cabbage mixture. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Serve the salad topped with the chicken and the remaining 1/2 cup herbs.Step 4Wine Recommendation: German rieslings, so often shunned at the table because of their sweetness, can be a sublime match for Asian cuisine. That sweetness acts as a foil to both the heat and the saltiness of the dishes. For this Asian salad, go with a kabinett from Germany’s Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region for best effect.
