TOM YUM ROAST CHICKEN
If you don’t already have a jar of tom yum paste in the fridge, I urge you to run out to grab one. You can create this fragrant, sharp and piquant roasted chicken with a sensational five-ingredient marinade. The intensity of the tom yum means it requires no marinating time at all, although you can brush the marinade on to the flesh side only and leave in the fridge overnight for a deeper flavour.
SERVES
PREP & COOKING TIME
4 45 MINUTES
120g tom yum paste
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, or 4 tsp garlic paste
4 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp ground white pepper
4 tsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
8 chicken thighs or 4 whole chicken legs, skin on and bone in fine sea salt, to taste
½ red chilli, sliced, to garnish coriander leaves, to garnish lime wedges, to serve
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Combine the tom yum paste, garlic, fish sauce, white pepper and sugar in a bowl for the marinade.
Line a large baking tray with foil. Place the chicken pieces on the tray, skin-side down, then season with salt and rub half the marinade into the flesh side only, ensuring all of the flesh is well covered.
Turn the chicken pieces over, skin side up, and season generously with salt. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and brush the skin with the remaining marinade.
Return to the oven and bake for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the skin is browned and the chicken is cooked through (if using a thermometer, the thickest part of the chicken will have an internal temperature of at least 75C). If the skin starts to char (check it from time to time), cover the chicken with foil until cooked through.
Transfer to a serving platter. Squeeze a wedge of lime over the chicken, then garnish with red chilli and coriander leaves and serve with extra lime wedges. Serve straight away with steamed white rice.
Fill two bowls with ice-cold water and soak the lettuce leaves and spring onions to crisp them up while you prepare the other ingredients. Drain well before use.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large frying pan on a high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring, for 6-8 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Wipe out the pan, then add 1 tablespoon oil on a mediumhigh heat and add the onion or shallots and mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the carrots. Cook for 1 minute and continue to stir, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute.
Add the Shaoxing wine and soy sauce to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes until the liquid evaporates. Return the pork to the pan, along with the water chestnuts (or celery) and the thinly sliced spring onions. Stir together, then add the oyster sauce, sugar and sesame oil and combine until everything is warmed through.
To serve, scoop 2 large spoonfuls of the mixture into each lettuce cup, top with curly spring onions and serve with lime wedges.