Ingredients

Method

• 1 free-range chicken
• 1 bunch spring onions, sliced, plus extra to garnish
• 1 chunk ginger, sliced, plus extra to garnish
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 T soya sauce, plus extra for serving
• 2 T rice vinegar
• 8 cups water
• 1 T undiluted liquid chicken stock
• 3-4 cups thinly shredded vegetables (a mix of tenderstem broccoli, bok choy, spinach or baby lettuce and peas
• 1 chilli, finely chopped, for serving (optional)
For the tempura batter:
• ½ cup ice-cold water
• ½ beaten extra-large free-range egg
• 50 g flour, sifted
• Oil, for frying

Method

Ingredients

Cut the breast meat out of the chicken, slice it fairly thinly and mix with a little soya sauce. Chill until needed. Place the rest of the chicken, including the breast bones, in a suitable saucepan. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Drain, discarding the water, and transfer the chicken to the cleaned saucepan.

Add the onions, ginger, garlic, soya sauce, rice vinegar, water and stock. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and gently simmer, half covered, for 1 hour. Strain, setting aside the chicken for another use.

Taste the stock and, if necessary, add more soya sauce or liquid stock. Before serving, bring to a boil and add the thinly shredded vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes until tender-crisp.

To make the batter: Pour the cold water into a bowl. Stir in the beaten egg then add the flour. Mix roughly with a fork as you want the batter to be light and lumpy.

Dip the sliced chicken breast into the batter and fry in the oil until pale golden and crisp. Serve scattered with spring onion slices and pass around the ginger, soya sauce and chilli, if using, at the table.