This pleasant Northern dish is served cold with a slightly tangy sauce, and because it can be prepared completely in advance it is very handy for entertaining. The fen pi, literally meaning the skin of flour, must not be soggy if the dish is to be successful.

Ingredients:

2 cups clear stock or water
2 small chicken breasts, skinned
and boned, or chicken breast fillet
4 pieces Tientsin fen pi, each about
9 inches (23 centimetres) in diameter
1⁄2 long cucumber, about 8 ounces
(225 grams)

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon rice or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons hot prepared mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons thin soy sauce
8 turns white pepper mill
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons peanut or corn oil

Directions:

Put the stock or water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep in the liquid for 15 minutes without disturbing. Remove and let cool.
Prepare the sauce: Mix together the vinegar, mustard, salt, sugar, soy sauce, pepper and oils.
Bring a large pan of water, about 6 cups, to a fast boil. Put in the fen pi, one by one, so that they will not stick to each other. Cover and remove from the heat for 5 minutes. Drain. Then, handling with care, put the fen pi into a pan of cold water.
Fold each fen pi into 3, then cut crosswise at 1⁄2-inch (1-centimetre) intervals. Transfer to a serving plate.
Cut the cucumber diagonally into thin slices, leaving them in an ordered pile. Cut the pile into thin strips. Place on top of the fen pi. Going with the grain, tear the chicken by hand into thin strips and put on top of the cucumber.
Just before serving, pour the sauce over it, mix well and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
Note: If the dish is not to be served right away, the ingredients can be individually refrigerated, covered, and assembled just prior to serving.