Coconut, lime and lemongrass chicken salad

In keeping with many Thai dishes, the citrus notes in this salad are sweet and fragrant, with most of the bite coming from the ginger and chilli.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient

Quantity	Ingredient
1 tablespoon	coconut oil
6	boneless chicken thighs or 4 breasts, skin on
4	garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 thin slices	fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
3	lemongrass stalks, outer leaves discarded, finely chopped
1 x 400ml	coconut milk
2	limes, Finely grated zest and juice
2	kaffir lime leaves, shredded, (optional)
1 tablespoon	fish sauce
	sea salt
	crushed white peppercorns
handfuls	mint, coriander and basil, to serve

Quantity	Ingredient
2 tablespoons	vegetable oil
2	shallots, finely sliced
1	large carrot, peeled and julienned
1	large courgette, julienned
100g	cauliflower florets, finely sliced
a small bunch	radishes, finely sliced
a bunch	spring onions, finely sliced on the diagonal

Quantity	Ingredient
a small piece	fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
1	red chilli, finely chopped
1	lime, Finely grated zest and juice
1 tablespoon	fish sauce

First prepare the chicken. Heat the coconut oil in a large, shallow pan and add the chicken, skin side down. Fry on a medium to high heat until the skin is crisp and brown, then turn over. Add the garlic, ginger and lemongrass, then pour the coconut milk around the chicken. Add the lime zest and juice, the lime leaves, if using, and the peppercorns, and season with the fish sauce and some salt. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer, uncovered so the sauce reduces, until the chicken is cooked through, around 15 minutes. Remove the chicken. Strain the sauce and reserve.
To assemble the salad, heat the vegetable oil in a small pan and fry the shallots quite briskly until they are translucent and well browned. Remove to drain on some kitchen paper and set aside. Arrange the raw vegetables over a large plate or platter. Slice or shred the chicken, skin included, and add to the vegetables.
Whisk all the dressing ingredients together with 4 tablespoons of the reserved cooking sauce, and pour over the salad. Sprinkle with the herbs and the fried shallots.