Malay-style roast chicken

Fire up your tastebuds with the robust, tantalising flavours of this dish.

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 chicken, head and feet removed
5 dried red chillies, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes and drained
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled
1 thumb-sized piece galangal, peeled
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 stalk lemongrass (white part only), bruised
1/4 cup coconut milk

Method:
1. Make cuts on the breasts and thighs of the chicken.
2. Grind or pound the chillies, coriander and cumin seeds, ginger, galangal, garlic, oil and soya sauce to a fine paste. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
3. Rub marinade all over the chicken and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
4. Leave the lemongrass to steep in the coconut milk for 1 hour.
5. Pre-heat oven to 225 deg C. Lightly grease a roasting tin before putting the chicken in.
6. Baste the chicken with the lemongrass-infused coconut milk and roast for 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally with the coconut milk.

Tips:
For a more fiery flavour, use fresh red chillies rather than dried ones.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Sep 2008)

Thai beef and potato curry

Potato - Part 3.

A hale and hearty pot of goodness.

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup coconut cream
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground fennel
2 cups coconut milk
500g chunk tender beef, trimmed and cut into large cubes
1 tbsp sugar
2-3 tbsp fish sauce

For the curry paste:
8 dried chillies, soaked in hot water
4 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 lemongrass stem, white part only, sliced
4cm piece of galangal

Method:
1. Blitz all the curry paste ingredients in a food processor to form a paste.
2. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes until they are firm to the touch. Drain and set aside.
3. In a saucepan, bring the coconut cream to a boil. Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until it "cracks" (when it separates and forms a layer of oil on the surface).
4. Add the curry paste and cook for 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir in the coriander, cumin and fennel, and mix well.
5. Add the coconut milk, beef, sugar and fish sauce and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beef is tender. Add the potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes.
6. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Tips:
Add a few fresh red chillies to the curry paste mix for a more intense flavour.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Mar 2008)

Savoury pancake

Ingredients (makes 6 pieces):
1 cup ready-mixed savoury pancake flour (korean)
300g fresh medium prawns
150g fresh white bait
100g spring onions
1 large egg, beaten
Pinch of slivered dried chilli*
Ground pepper
Sesame oil

Dipping sauce:
1/4 cup soya sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tbsp chopped pine nuts, optional

Method:
1. Combine flour and a dash of pepper with 1 cup of water and egg in a medium mixing bowl. Stir and mix gently until batter is smooth, adding more water (not more than 1/4 cup) if necessary.
2. Shell prawns completely and devein. Halve each lengthwise.
3. Trim and rinse spring onions. Cut into 8cm lengths.
4. Divide all ingredients - pancake batter, prawns, white bait and spring onions into 6 portions.
5. Grease a 20cm non-stick skillet with sesame oil and heat until moderately hot. Mix a portion of each ingredient with batter. Spread mixture on skillet and garnish top with a few chilli slivers. Cook covered for 2 minutes.
6. Carefully turn savoury pancake over to cook top side for another 1-2 minutes. Serve as a snack on its own or with a small platter of kimchi and a bowl of radish and fish soup.

Tips:
* Discard seeds of a dried chilli and use scissors to cut into needle-fine strips or into rings.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine