Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• four 1/4-inch-thick slices fresh gingerroot
• 1/4 cup Scotch
• 1 whole skinless boneless chicken breast (about 3/4 pound)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon Asian chili oil, or
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• plus Tabasco to taste
• Garnish: 3 tablespoons chopped coriander sprigs
• Accompaniment if desired:sesame orzo with charred scallions

Instructions

1. Poach chicken: In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan bring water to a boil with gingerroot, Scotch, and salt to taste. Add chicken and simmer, covered, 12 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer chicken with tongs to a bowl and chill, covered, 20 minutes.
2. Make sauce while chicken is cooling: In a bowl stir together sauce ingredients until sugar is dissolved.
3. Halve chicken and cut across grain into thin slices. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with coriander.