This works best if you have some leftover chicken from Sunday lunch but you can use any kind of leftover or fresh chicken. Quantities are kind of to your own liking but if I have a cold, I really ramp up the ginger and chili!

Step 1

From leftovers:

Deflesh what remains of your chicken and put to one side, quarter the remaining carcass and boil for around an hour to make a stock. Remove the carcass and strain stock through a sieve.

From fresh:

Take a couple of chicken breasts and slice into inch thick strips, add them to a pan and poach gently until cooked (about 10 or so mins)

Step 2

Finely slice a thumb sized piece of ginger and two hot chillies, add them to a hot pan with some vegetable oil and gently fry, add some thinly sliced spring onions and garlic and fry gently for a few more minutes. Add your chicken and a couple of pints of (either cube or proper) chicken stock, add a good slug of soy sauce. Boil for about 20 mins on a low heat.

Three or four mins before serving add a couple of nests of dried medium egg noodles and continue boiling until they cook.

Just before serving thinly slice some pak choi and add along with some beansprouts.

First up were the house special king prawn spring rolls with hot chilli dip, the prawns are huge, juicy and marinated in herbs and spices then wrapped in spring roll pastry and served with a lovely sweet and hot chilli dip, i teamed these with a pint of Rudgate flaxen dane, the beer was very light and hoppy and went really well with the spicy food and rich juicy prawns.

Next up was Crispy duck breasts with vegetable, chilli and cashew sauce, i’d not had this before so was looking forward to it, the menu promised spice as it had the top chilli rating of 3 chillis. I wasn’t disappointed when it arrived, the portion was that big the rice came on a separate plate. The duck was lovely and crispy on the outside while still soft (unfortunately not pink) in the middle, the sauce was full of fire and had stacks of red and green chillis in, a great big handful of cashews and some lovely big mushrooms that had a hint of lemon grass in them. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I teamed it up wtih a pint of hambleton stud which is smooth, light and fruity with a good body and again went pretty well with the spicy Thai food and even better with the bright sunshine while we were sat outside the pub.

If you are ever in the area i strongly suggest that you call in, its a great little hidden treasure.

check out their website @ http://www.theblackwellox.co.uk

Chilli Up North Verdict:  Cracking pub, great food, lovley ales, friendly staff, 9/10 (Heat: 9/10)