CHICKEN RENDANG

A really super-easy supper that needs only a fraction of the cooking time of a beef rendang. It’s not as dry as the beef version because the chicken cooks more quickly, meaning there is more delicious sauce.

Serves four to six

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds 1½ tbsp chilli powder ½ tsp ground turmeric 70g root ginger, peeled and julienned

15g garlic cloves, peeled 2 tbsp cooking oil

150g banana shallots, finely sliced 6 chicken legs, split into 12–15 thighs and drumsticks, on the bone and skin on 250ml canned coconut milk, coconut cream skimmed off the top and reserved 2 medium-sized tomatoes, quartered

To garnish Bunch of coriander, leaves picked ½ lime

METHOD

h Gently toast the fennel and cumin seeds in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes to release their fragrance. Grind the seeds with the chilli powder, ground turmeric, ginger and garlic in a blender to make a paste. h Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole and fry the sliced shallots until golden brown. Add the spice paste and stir-fry over a low heat until fragrant, being very careful not to burn the paste. Add a touch more oil if necessary. hAdd the chicken pieces and mix to coat with the spice paste, then add the thin coconut milk. Bring to the boil. Add the tomatoes, cover the pan and simmer for 20–25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt. Add the coconut cream to help thicken. h Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Squeeze lime juice over the top for acidity.