Cold Thukpa Noodle Salad with Timur-Sesame Dressing

Method

1. Put the chicken and sliced ginger in a 16 cm pot, cover with cold water by 2 cm and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it boils, turn off the heat, put the lid on and leave for 15 min; gentle poaching keeps breast meat juicy. Cut into the thickest part: it should be white all the way through (75 °C on a thermometer); if not, simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Let it cool, then shred into thin strips with your fingers.

   Add in this stepChicken breast 200 gFresh ginger (for poaching) 5 g

   medium-high heat

2. Bring water to the boil in a 18 cm pot over high heat and cook the noodles for 4 min (or as the packet says). Drain, rinse under cold running water, rubbing them with your hands to wash off the starch, then drain very well and toss with half the sesame oil so they don't stick.

   Add in this stepWheat noodles (dried; fresh also fine) 140 gToasted sesame oil ¾ tsp

   high heat

3. Dressing: toast the cumin and timur in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 1 min, shaking the pan, until fragrant and a shade darker, then crush finely in a mortar. Whisk with the tahini, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, finely grated garlic, chilli flakes, the rest of the sesame oil and the water until smooth and pourable, like double cream. Add a little more water if it's thick.

   Add in this stepCumin seeds ½ tspTimur (or Sichuan pepper) ½ tspTahini 2 tbspSoy sauce 4 tspLime (juice) 1Honey 1 tspGarlic cloves 1Chilli flakes ½ tspWater 2 tbspToasted sesame oil ¾ tsp

   medium-low heat

4. Cut the cucumber and carrot into thin matchsticks and shred the cabbage very finely.

   Add in this stepCucumber 120 gCarrot 60 gCabbage (white or red) 80 g

5. Pile the noodles into bowls, arrange the vegetables and chicken on top and spoon over the dressing. Scatter with chopped peanuts, sliced spring onions and coriander and toss everything together just before eating.

   Add in this stepRoasted peanuts 20 gSpring onions 1Fresh coriander 5 g