MARINADE
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon peeled and chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped lemongrass
2 lime leaves, whole
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 fresh chili pepper chopped
1/2 tablespoon green chili paste
1 teaspoon Sambal Olek
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 (6—ounce) chicken breasts, skinned
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
PICKLED CUCUMBER
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red crushed pepper
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cucumber peeled, seeded, and diced
VEGETABLES
2 heads Boston (Bibb) lettuce
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 leek, julienned, white part only
8 green onions
GARNISH
1/3 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 limes, quartered
6 red radishes
1 bunch cilantro
Sweet chili sauce, purchased
Peanut sauce, purchased
PREPARATION
In a bowl, mix all ingredients for marinade. Slice chicken breasts into long, thin strips and marinate in a covered dish for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
In a sauté pan over high heat, warm olive oil. Sauté chicken for 5 minutes or until cooked. Add sesame oil and stir well. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
For pickled cucumbers, combine first 3 ingredients and bring to a boil. Place cucumbers into a shallow container and pour vinegar mixture over. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Wash and dry lettuce. Place two leaves on each of 6 chilled plates.
Fill lettuce leaves with carrots, bean sprouts, leeks, green onions, and pickled cucumber. Top with sautéed chicken.
Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and garnish each plate with a lime wedge, radish and cilantro.
Serve with ramekins of peanut sauce and sweet chili sauce.
Serves 6.
CULINARY NOTES:
Sambel olek is a hot chile pepper paste used as a table condiment in China and Southeast Asia. lt contains chilies, salt, vinegar and sometimes garlic and tamarind.
You can find Sambal olek in the imported foods section of your favorite grocery store. If it is not available then you can substitute one minced jalapeno pepper, one teaspoon minced garlic and two tablespoons rice vinegar:
Source: RCCL International Cookbook
