Red curry chicken with chewy rice

SERVES 6

⅓ cup (90g) red curry paste

200ml coconut cream

1 x 1.3kg chicken, spine removed, flattened* (see note on opposite page)

2 cups (400g) jasmine rice

1 stick lemongrass, cut into 3cm lengths 3 kaffir lime leaves, torn

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 leek, white and pale green part only, sliced into 1cm-thick rounds

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

1 bunch baby bok choy, cut into 2cm pieces 1 tablespoon chicken stock powder

SIDE SALAD

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons lime juice

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon fish sauce handful of Thai basil leaves

2-3 spring onions, white and green parts sliced on an angle handful of bean sprouts, trimmed

Optional ingredients: lime cheeks

1 Combine the curry paste and coconut cream in a dish large enough to hold the chicken. Add the chook and coat well, then leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes (put it in the fridge if this nudges over half an hour).

2 Preheat the oven to 180°C.

3 Combine the rice, lemongrass, lime leaves, oil, leek, tomatoes, bok choy and chicken stock powder in a bowl.

4 Oil a medium baking dish and add the rice mixture. Pour in 1 cup (250ml) of water.

5 Place the chicken on top of the rice, skin-side up, and drizzle with remaining marinade. (This is the bit you have to do without thinking about it too much.) Bake for 1 hour. Usually a flat chook will roast in 45 minutes, but an extra 15 gets us over to the safe side. The rice actually steams up under the chook too.

6 Remove from the oven and rest for 15 minutes before serving.

7 To make the salad, mix together the sesame oil, lime juice, brown sugar and fish sauce. Toss with the greens.