Saturday, May 24, 2008

Thai Pandan Chicken Recipe


Also known as pandanus leaf, it is a kind of herb with long green aromatic leaves which are popularly used in the Southeast Asian cooking, lending a unique taste and distinct aroma to curry, rice, cakes and many Thai cuisines. They are known in Indonesia and Malaysia as daun pandan. Fresh leaves are usually torn into strips, tied into a knot before placing into the cooking liquid to perfume it. At the end of the cooking, it will be removed.

Pandan can also be used as a natural replacement for food-coloring, imbuing desserts with bright shade of green. It can also be found as a ready-to-use paste in most Asian specialty stores. In Thailand, pieces of marinated chicken are wrapped in a clever wrapping of the pandan leaf and grilled or deep-fried to the extend that the subtle flavor of the leaf is being imparted to the chicken.

Recipe:

600 g diced chicken meat
5 cups oil for deep-frying
40-50 pcs big pandan leaves, washed

Seasoning:

60 g shallots, chopped
30 g garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon lemongrass (white part only), chopped
1 tablespoon coriander roots, chopped
1 teaspoon peppercorns, pounded
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fish gravy
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon black soy sauce

Method:

Marinate diced chicken meat with seasoning for 2-3 hours. Wrap up chicken meat neatly with pandan leaves (refer below). Heat up the oil for deep-frying, deep-fry the chicken till golden brown. Dish and drain. Serve hot and let the guests unwrap them and enjoy the aroma and flavor.

Note: Pandan chicken can also be wrapped and keep in the fridge. Deep-fry in hot oil before serving. It can also be baked for more healthy way of cooking.




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