This was the first thing I cooked after returning from my summer holiday. I had bounced around Europe for a couple of weeks eating very well along the way. Boutarge and aged sheep cheese in Corsica; jamon and potato tortilla in Spain, bacon sarnies and Ottelenghi’s savory cheesecake in England and lots and lots of fish chowder in Ireland, every bite, wonderfully delicious. But, as soon as I stepped back into my Paris kitchen…all I can say is “the mind knows only what lies near the heart” …or in this case – the stomach. All I could think of was bold Asian flavors tout de suite! Garlic, chilli, shallots, kaffir limes, lemon grass, coconut milk…This dish has a bit of all the elements I was craving.
The only real exotic ingredient in the recipe is Kaffir lime leaves – think of them as Asian Bay leaves. They can be purchased fresh, frozen or dried from Thai or Vietnamese (and some Chinese) food stores. I buy them fresh and keep a packet in my freezer – they can be frozen for up to a year. That way I can take out one or two leaves whenever I need them. Dried leaves are not as aromatic and not recommended.
This recipe is adapted from My Asian Kitchen by Jennifer Joyce.
Coconut and Lemongrass Chicken
Ingredients
- Serves 4
- (minimum 2 hours marinating time)
- 6 lemongrass stalks
- 8 kaffir lime leaves, divided
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp soft brown sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 1 birds eye chili
- 4 poussin (or Cornish game hens or 1 chicken)
- 120 ml (8 tbps) coconut cream, divided
- Zest of one lime
- Chili Sauce
- 3 tbsp sambal oelek chili sauce (or another Asian chili sauce)
- 2 small shallots, sliced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (or more to taste)
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Trim the bottom root end of the lemon grass and cut off the woody top two-thirds of each stalk so you are left with 5 or 6 inches. Reserve the trimmings. Peel off the tough fibrous outer layers until you are down to the paler, more flexible inside stalk. Slice the stalk into thin rounds.
- In a food processor or blender, place the sliced lemongrass, 3 lime leaves, garlic, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, the coriander, birds eye chili and 3 tablespoons of coconut cream. Blend until smooth, adding more coconut cream if necessary.
- Place the birds in a shallow baking dish and cover with the marinade, rubbing it inside the cavity and into the creases and folds between the wings and legs. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and ideally overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C)
- Remove the chickens from the refrigerator and allow them to come up to room temperature. Shake or gently wipe off the marinade and place the chickens in a lightly greased roasting pan. Using kitchen twine, loosely tie the legs together then stuff the leftover lemongrass pieces and the remaining lime leaves into the cavity.
- Gently heat the remaining coconut cream in a small pot on the stove or in the microwave and stir in the remaining sugar along with the lime zest. Brush some of the mixture over the chickens and bake for 10 minutes. Keep repeating every 10 to 15 minutes as the chicken bakes until the skin is shiny and golden brown from the caramelized coconut milk. Total cooking time will be 45-50 minutes for poussin, 1 hour to 1 h10 for a whole chicken. Check if the chicken is cooked by piercing the flesh of one of the legs with the tip of a sharp knife at the thickest part near the bone. The juices should run clear with no trace of pink.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest.
- To make the chili sauce, mix all the ingredients together and set aside.
- Serve the chicken with steamed rice and the chili sauce on the side.
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https://www.charlottepuckette.com/recipes/main-dish-meatpoultry/coconut-and-lemongrass-chicken/
