Chicken with Coconut Recipe

Traditionally, the chicken pieces for this Indonesian dish are part-cooked by frying, but roasting in the oven is just as successful. This dish is rather unusual because it does not contain any chilies or turmeric, but galangal, lemon grass, coriander and lime leaves to add a spicy flavor.

Recipe: (Serves 4-6)

1.5 kg/3.5 lb chicken or 4 chicken quarters.
4 garlic cloves
1 onion, sliced
4 macadamia nuts or 8 almonds
15 ml/1 tablespoon coriander seeds, dry-fried, or 5 ml/1 teaspoon ground coriander
45 ml/3 tablespoons oil
2.5 cm/1 inch fresh galangal, peeled and bruised
2 lemon grass stalks, fleshy part bruised
3 lime leaves
2 bay leaves
5 ml/1 teaspoon sugar
600 ml/1 pint/2.5 cups coconut milk
Salt to taste
Boiled rice and deep-fried onions, to serve

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Cut the chicken into four or eight pieces. Season with salt. Put in an oiled roasting pan and cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Grind the garlic, onion, nuts and coriander to a fine paste in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. Heat the oil and fry the paste to bring out the flavor. Do not allow it to brown.

Add the part-cooked chicken pieces to a wok together with the galangal, lemon grass, lime and bay leaves, sugar, coconut milk and salt to taste. Mix well to coat in the sauce. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes, uncovered, until the chicken is tender and the coconut sauce is reduced and thickened. Stir the mixture occasionally during cooking.

Just before serving, remove the bruised galangal and lemon grass. Serve with boiled rice sprinkled with crisp deep-fried onions.