Vietnamese chicken & prawn salad

2 chicken breasts, left on the bone
250 g (1/2 lb) cooked small-to-medium prawns, peeled and de-veined
1 large onion, cut in half and thinly sliced (red is best)
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped lettuce leaves
3 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 grated carrot
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon water 1 small chilli, seeded and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
1/3 cup roasted peanuts (optional)

1. Cover chicken with lightly salted water, bring gently to the boil and simmer 7-10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove bone and shred.

2. Place the onion in a bowl with the vinegar and sugar, and allow it to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Line a platter with lettuce leaves.

4. Scatter evenly over the lettuce the shredded cabbage, carrot, cucumber, mint and onions, saving the marinade.

5. Add the chicken and prawns.

6. Mix the fish sauce, onion marinade liquid, garlic and chilli, then drizzle over the whole plate.

7. Scatter with peanuts and torn mint leaves.

8. To serve, use salad servers to gather up a good mixture of all the ingredients and place in a tidy heap on each plate.