Coconut Chicken

• Serves 4

• Preparation time:

• Cooking time:

Ingredients

6 trimmed chicken portions e.g. Maryland cut or 1 chicken cut into portions (approximately 1.5-1.75kg in total weight)
2 x 400g cans coconut milk
3 red chillies, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons peanuts
10 black peppercorns
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and chopped
4 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
peanut oil, for frying
steamed Jasmine rice, for serving
2 small red chilli's, seeded and finely shredded, for garnish
2 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded, for garnish

Method

1. Place chicken portions and 550ml coconut milk in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer with a lid on for 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle or a food processor, pound chillies, peanuts, peppercorns, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, palm sugar and shrimp paste until a wet 'paste' is formed.
3. Heat a few teaspoons of peanut oil in a wok and 'cook' the paste for 1-2 minutes, to release the fragrant aromas of all the ingredients. Gradually add the remaining 250ml coconut milk in a thin stream to the paste, so as to 'deglaze' the pan. Reduce the coconut paste to approximately one-third of a cup.
4. Transfer chicken portions from the coconut milk to a serving plate and spoon over the spiced coconut milk paste. Serve with steamed Jasmine rice, shredded red chilli and kaffir lime leaves.

Notes