Spiced chicken and pandan leaves (Gai how bi towey)
These deep-fried parcels of spicy chicken loveliness make a great starter for a dinner party. You will need 20 cocktail sticks for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 10 coriander roots, washed and finely chopped
- 15²µ/½´Ç³ú galangal, coarsely grated
- 1 tbsp crushed palm sugar (if none available, use brown sugar)
- squeeze of lime juice
- a good pinch white pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 500g/1lb 2oz 2 large or 3 medium skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthways and into bite-sized pieces
- 20 pandan leaves, depending on how many chunks of chicken you get
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 limes cut into wedges, to serve
For the sauce
- 40g/1½oz finely grated ginger (squeeze the juice out of it using a piece of muslin then discard the ginger pulp)
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tbsp Thai fish sauce
- ½ tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp rice vinegar
Method
In a pestle and mortar (or a small blender), pound together the garlic, coriander root and the galangal. Add the palm sugar and make a smooth paste.
Put the mixture into a large bowl. Add the lime juice and a good pinch of white pepper. Add the sesame oil, Thai fish sauce and soy sauce. Mix thoroughly with the chicken in a shallow dish, cover with cling film and marinade in the fridge for half an hour.
For the sauce, mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into a suitable serving bowl and leave to one side.
Take a large pan of boiling water and gently ease in the pandan leaves, blanching for 30 seconds and then remove and dry with some kitchen paper.
Take a pandan leaf and wrap it around a piece of the chicken, trim the thick stalk off and secure with a cocktail stick. Repeat to use up all the chicken and leaves.
Heat the oil in a pan, wok or a deep-fat fryer to 180C/350F (CAUTION: hot oil is dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
Fry for eight minutes, or until the pandan is golden-brown and the chicken cooked through. You will need to cook the parcels in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Serve with the sauce and wedges of lime.
