Enjoying a nibble at The Peninsula hotel in Kowloon, Hong Kong, we sampled a delicious chicken salad with tamarind dressing; this is my take on the original. It is really an upmarket coleslaw and is ideal with warm crusty bread with a chilled wine.

Ingredients

• 1 radicchio, sliced
• ½ large Chinese cabbage, core removed
• 1-2 green peppers, cored
• 2 pears, peeled and sliced
• 1 double breast smoked chicken, skin removed and sliced
• ½ red onion, finely sliced
• 1 cup honey-roasted peanuts
• 1 cup mung bean or snow pea sprouts
• 1 large mild green chilli, diced

Tamarind Dressing

• 3 tblsp tamarind pulp (from Asian food section in supermarkets)
• grated rind and juice 1 large orange
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tblsp verjuice or cider vinegar
• 2 tblsp mirin (optional)
• 1 tsp each prepared mustard and sugar

Method

1. Finely shred the radicchio and cabbage and place in a large bowl. Finely slice green peppers and add with pears to cabbage.
2. Cut the smoked chicken in half horizontally then shred into fine strips and add to the bowl with the red onion, honey-roasted peanuts and sprouts. Season well with salt and white pepper and dress with tamarind dressing about 15-20 minutes before serving. This allows time for the cabbage to soften.

Tamarind Dressing

1. Soak the tamarind pulp in ½ cup warm water for about 10 minutes until soft, then squeeze to make a pulpy mixture. Strain to remove the seeds and fibre. Stir the smooth pulp together with the orange rind and juice, oil, verjuice or vinegar, mirin (if using), mustard and sugar.

Cooks Tips

Tamarind has wonderful souring qualities. Strained tamarind juice is delicious tossed over fresh chunks of pineapple and apple and then served chilled as a refreshing snack.