five-minute Lanzhou noodles and seared steak in asian broth

This delicious meal uses the excess stock from the Asian poached chicken recipe, which can be frozen until needed. the following recipe serves two.

1 piece decent aged steak
1/4 romaine lettuce, finely sliced
1/2 small red onion, finely sliced
1t sesame oil
1 litre chicken stock (from asian poached chicken)
1T fish sauce
1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
1 lime
1 small red chili, finely sliced
1t tamarind paste
1t palm sugar
good pinch Maldon
1 or 2 bundles of Lanzhou noodles
4cm of cucumber, finely sliced, then shredded

Bring stock to a simmer and add some of the coriander (stalk ends), the chili, sesame oil, fish sauce, red onion, sugar, salt, tamarind paste and noodles. Cook for several minutes. Sear steak in a hot pan. Rest and slice thinly, toss in a hot pan to finish if desired. To serve, layer noodles and coriander and lettuce alternately in a bowl. Finish with a layer of lettuce and coriander. Top with steak and cucumber. Ladle the broth over the noodles and steak. Serve with wedges of lime for squeezing to taste.

asian poached chicken with rice

1 whole chicken
1 bunch coriander (leaves pulled off, stalks/roots reserved)
4 cm piece of ginger, sliced
1 stick cinnamon
2T soy sauce
1t Maldon
3T rice vinegar
1 bunch spring onions, 1/2 chopped into 3 cm lengths, rest left whole
6 star anise

~dressing~
3T soy sauce
1T palm sugar (or other)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1T sesame oil
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1 red chili, finely chopped

Tie coriander into a bundle and put in a large heavy pot with star anise, ginger, cinnamon, whole spring onions, Maldon and soy. Put chicken in (breast-side down) and cover with water. Add vinegar and bring to a gentle simmer, cover and leave for 75 minutes, checking occasionally and skimming off any scum from the surface. Check that the chicken is cooked by skewering in the thickest part to see if the juices run clear.  Remove from the heat, take the chicken out of the stock and place on a dish to cool.

Pour 500ml of the stock into a pan and bring to a simmer to reduce. Save the rest of the stock for soup. Add the spring onions and coriander and simmer for a minute. Remove the skin from the chicken and shred the flesh. Whisk together the dressing and serve the chicken with Basmati or Jasmine rice, wilted greens and a drizzle of the dressing.