THAI BASIL & CHILLI CHICKEN

SERVES 6 PREP + COOK 9 HOURS

◆ 1.8kg whole chicken

◆ 1 red onion, sliced thickly

◆ 1 red capsicum, sliced thickly

◆ 1 yellow capsicum, sliced thickly

◆ 2 carrots, halved, sliced thickly diagonally

◆ 4 garlic cloves, quartered

◆ 10cm stick fresh lemongrass, sliced thinly

◆ 4cm piece fresh galangal, sliced thinly

◆ 3 small red Thai chillies, chopped coarsely

◆ 2 tbsp fish sauce

◆ 2 tbsp grated palm sugar

◆ 1 tbsp vegetable oil

◆ ¾ cup chicken stock

◆ 2 kaffir lime leaves

◆ 2 tbsp cornflour

◆ ¼ cup water

◆ 115g baby corn, halved

◆ 400g gai lan, trimmed, cut into 5cm lengths

◆ ½ cup roasted salted cashews

◆ ½ cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves

1 Remove skin from chicken, refrigerate skin until required. Place chicken in a 4.5-litre slow cooker. Top with onion, capsicums and carrot.

2 Process garlic, lemongrass, galangal, chilli, sauce, sugar and oil until smooth. Stir in stock, pour mixture over chicken. Add lime leaves, cook, covered, on low, 8 hours. Skim off excess oil.

3 Remove chicken from cooker, break into large chunks. Discard bones. Discard lime leaves.

4 Stir cornflour and water in a small bowl until combined, add cornflour mixture to cooker with corn and gai lan. Increase heat to the highest setting and simmer, uncovered, 15 mins, stirring occasionally, or until sauce thickens. Return chicken to cooker, simmer until heated through. Season to taste.

5 Meanwhile, preheat grill.

6 Place reserved skin on an oven tray, season. Grill 15 mins until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towel, break into pieces.

7 Serve chicken topped with crispy skin, cashews and basil.