Thai Chicken Laksa and Mildly Spice Noodle Squash Broth de Luisa CC Febrero Casa de Luisa

INGREDIENTS
Chicken
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 heaped tsp Chinese five-spice
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 fresh red chilli

Laksa
1 chicken or vegetable stock cube
1 butternut squash (neck end only)
2 cloves of garlic
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
1 fresh red chilli
1 tsp turmeric
½ a bunch of spring onions
1 heaped tsp peanut butter
4 dried kaffir lime leaves
½ a bunch of fresh coriander
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
300g medium rice noodles
2 bunches of asparagus (600g)
1 x 400g tin of light coconut milk
3 limes

BEFORE YOU START COOKING YOU NEED

• Ingredients out
• Kettle boiled
• Griddle pan, high heat
• Large lidded pan, high heat
• Food processor (coarse grater & bowl blade)

START COOKING
On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper and the five-spice. Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin. Place on the hot griddle pan, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until nicely charred and cooked through. Pour about 800ml of boiling water into the large pan and crumble in the stock cube.

Trim the stalk off the squash, roughly chop the neck end (don't peel, and keep the seed end for another day), then grate and tip into the boiling stock. Swap to the bowl blade in the processor and add the peeled garlic and ginger, the chilli, turmeric, trimmed spring onions, peanut butter, dried lime leaves, coriander stalks (reserving the leaves), sesame oil, soy and fish sauces. Blitz to a paste, then tip into the stock and add the noodles.

Trim the asparagus and cut in half. Add to the pan, pour in the coconut milk, and as soon as it boils, taste, correct the seasoning with soy sauce and lime juice, then turn the heat off. Drizzle the honey over the charred chicken, squeeze over the juice of 1 lime, scatter with the sesame seeds and toss to coat. Serve with the laksa and lime wedges, sprinkling everything with the coriander leaves and slices of fresh chilli.