Coconut Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken

4 chicken breasts, skin on
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2.5 cm (1 inch) piece of galangal, peeled and roughly chopped
2.5 cm (1 inch) piece of turmeric, peeled and roughly chopped
3 coriander roots, cleaned, scraped and chopped
1 stalk lemongrass (tender inner core only), chopped
1 Tbs fish sauce
1 Tbs palm sugar
150 ml coconut cream

Peanut dressing

½ cup fried or roasted peanuts
75 ml shaoxing wine
100 ml light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
3 Tbs palm sugar
2 Tbs lime juice

Salad

50 g dried glass noodles
2 Lebanese cucumbers, julienned
2.5 cm (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, finely shredded
4 spring onions (scallions), sliced
6 dried cloud ear mushrooms, soaked in boiling water and sliced
½ cup coriander leaves
1 large red chilli, sliced
50 g green oak leaf lettuce
2 Tbs toasted sesame seeds

Method

Chicken

Combine the garlic, galangal, turmeric, coriander roots and lemongrass in a mortar and pound to a smooth paste. Mix in the fish sauce, palm sugar and coconut cream until combined. Place the chicken breasts in a bowl and add the marinade. Place in the refrigerator and leave overnight.

Dressing

Pound the peanuts to a paste in a mortar and then add the remaining ingredients, mixing until the sugar is dissolved.

Cooking chicken

Heat the barbecue to medium and brush with vegetable oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill skin side down, for about 5 minutes or until the skin is golden and crispy. Turn and cook another 5-10 minutes until cooked through, brushing with the marinade occasionally.

Salad

Soak glass noodles in boiling water until soft (approx. 10 minutes) and then drain. IN a bowl, place all the salad ingredients except the sesame seeds and mix gently. Transfer to a serving platter and then spoon over the peanut dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Slice the cooked chicken and transfer to serving plate with the salad.

Credits: Chef Annette Fear from 'Hot Plate: Asian Inspired Barbecue' Published by Spirit House