Preheat the oven to 190C / 375F / Gas 5.
Cut the chicken into four or eight pieces. Season with salt. Put in an
oiled roasting tin and cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile
prepare the sauce. Grind the
garlic, onion, nuts and coriander to a fine paste in a food processor or
with a pestle and mortar. Heat the oil and fry the paste to bring out
the flavor. Do not allow it to brown. Add the part-cooked chicken pieces
to a wok together with the galangal, lemon grass, lime and bay leaves,
sugar, coconut milk and salt to taste. Mix well to coat in the sauce.
Bring to the
boil and then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes,
uncovered, until the chicken is tender and the coconut sauce is reduced
and thickened. Stir the mixture occasionally during cooking. Just before
serving, remove the bruised galangal and lemon grass. Serve with boiled
rice sprinkled with crisp deep-fried onions.
Serves 4
Traditionally, the chicken pieces for this
Indonesian dish would be part-cooked by frying , but roasting in the
oven is just as successful. This recipe is unusual in that it does not
contain any chilies or turmeric, but galangal, lemon grass, coriander
and lime leaves add a deliciously spicy flavor.
