Signature Saturdays: Chicken Pandan

This, I miss! I used to order this everytime my officemates and I go eat at the Banana Leaf Curry House. Did you know that diners at this restaurant eat with a banana leaf instead of a plate? Quite fitting and best enjoyed when you’re eating with your hands!

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp peppercorns
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsps fresh coriander roots or stems
2 lemongrass stalks, tender midsection only, finely minced
2 tbsps oyster sauce
2 tbsps light soy sauce
2 tsps sugar
1 1/2 tsps Asian sesame oil
750 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4cm pieces
36 pandan leaves, each about 12 inches long by 2 inches wide
peanut oil or corn oil for deep-frying
Sriracha sauce (Named for the seaside Thai town in which it originated, this bottled, hot or mild, sweet-tart all-purpose sauce is made from red chiles and resembles a light-coloured ketchup)

Directions:

1. In a mortar, pound the peppercorns to a coarse powder. Add the garlic, coriander roots or stems, and lemongrass and pound together to form a coarse paste. Scrape into a bowl and add the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Mix together and add the chicken. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

2. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. To make the chicken bundles, lay a pandan leaf on a work surface. Make a mound of chicken about 4cm high (using 1 or 2 pieces of chicken) about 4 inches from the stem end of the leaf. The idea is to tie the leaf into a knot that encloses the chicken. Bring up the ends, then pull the long end over and around to cover the front of the chicken pieces. Tuck the end under and up to meet at the top with the stem end. Tug a bit to enclose the chicken securely in the tiny bundle.

3. Pour the peanut oil or corn oil to a depth of 2 inches in a deep, heavy frying pan and heat to 180 degrees Celsius on a deep-frying thermometer. Working in batches, add the chicken bundles and fry until the meat is firm and cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the bundles to paper towels to drain.

4. Arrange the chicken bundles on a platter. Serve immediately with Sriracha sauce for dipping. To eat, unwrap the leaves and discard them.

* Makes about 3 dozen pieces; serves 6-8

Happy cooking!

Source: Savouring Southeast Asia
by Joyce Jue

(photo to follow)