I get asked quite often why I like to cook. The first reason I give is normally because I like to eat. I am Thai and food is a big factor in our culture. We greet each other with hello followed by 'have you eaten? When guests turn up at your house it's safe to assume that they will expect to be fed.

The second reason is that as I grew up in the Northeastern part of Thailand, the poorest region, food was always hard to come by. We weren't hungry as there was always rice, but it was difficult finding something to go with rice. Now I do have ingredients to go with rice, I want to cook!

Monday, 11 July 2016

Thai Herb Poached Chicken ไก่ต้มตะไคร้


Thai Herb Poached Chicken ไก่ต้มตะไคร้

Free range whole chicken poached in rich, flavoursome and floral stock. This easy, one pot dinner is deliciously Thai without much effort. The chicken is extremely moist, succulent and fragrant having benefitted from being poached, on low heat, in medicinal and perfumed Thai herbs. I am serving it with rice and some homemade hot sauce. But this is a tasty soup that can be ladle over rice, noodles or pasta. Any left over poaching liquid can be kept for soups, risottos or paellas.


In a large stock pot, put in
-4.5litres water, 
-3 stalks sliced lemongrass,
-2 cloves crushed garlic,
-3-4 kaffir lime leaves,
-5-6 coriander sprigs,
-4 shallots,
-3 sliced carrots,
-2 stalks celery,
-1tsp sea salt,
-3tbsp fish sauce.
-1 chicken stock cube.
Bring up to the simmer, add
-1.8kg free range chicken.
Cover with a lid.
Leave to simmer gently for 1 hour.
Turn the heat off.
Let the chicken continue to cook in the residual heat for another 30 minutes.
When cooled enough to handle.
Carve into portions.
Spoon over poaching stock.
Serve with the hot sauce.

    Sauce:
-2cm ginger, finely chopped,
-2 cloves garlic finely chopped,
-10 chillies (adjust according to your taste),
-1tsp palm sugar or brown sugar,
-6tbsp fish sauce,
-juice of 1 lime,
-1tbsp chopped coriander.
Combine the above ingredients in a bowl. Adjust seasoning to balance the flavour. Leave aside (the sauce tastes better if you leave it to sit for a couple of hours).

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