AuthorHolisticJBThis is an amazing chicken recipe, and in English translates as chicken cooked in lime and lemongrass sauce. It is absolutely delicious, very aromatic and is relatively easy to make (if you don't mind getting your fingers messy to de-seed some Tamarind).
Boil the first measure of water. Then, using a sharp knife or scissors, cut the chillies into 2 or 3 pieces, and add them to a bowl.
Pour your freshly boiled, now hot, water onto the cut chillies, leaving a little for the tamarind below. Cover and leave to soak for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the tamarind. 15 Minutes Soaking Time
Place the tamarind pulp into a small bowl. Pour enough hot water over the pulp ensuring that all of it is fully covered. Cover the bowl and set it aside until needed for cooking. 10 Minutes soaking time
When it's time to use the tamarind, firstly mash the soaked and now very soft pulp with a fork, or with your fingers.
Make sure you keep all the soft and gooey pulp, and only remove the seeds and any fibre from the shell that may have slipped in. Throw the fibres and seeds away, but make sure you keep as much pulp as possible, truat me this stuff is delicious!
Once done you will pour the tamarind juice over the sambal. (Just not yet!)
Most recipes call for you to strain this through a sieve, but my plea is don't strain it, as you'll lose too much of the good stuff. Just ensure all the seed, fibre and shell is picked out (and thats simple)
You can see in the photo how smooth it will be!
Now peel the onion and chop it roughly into chunks
Peel the garlic cloves.
Prepare 5 of the 6 lemongrass stalks. Cut off the hard tops, and the root end. The slcie into circles or chunks. It doesnt need to be perfect as its going in a blender.
Prepare the top and tail of the last lemongrass stalk, but dont chop it up. Simply whack one the root end to bust and bruise it. The set it aside.
Finally prepare the galangal by rubbing the skin off and slicing it into chunks or rings.
Place all of this into a food processor. (but not that final stalk of lemongrass)
Drain the chillies that you have been soaking. Rinse them under fresh water and if you dont like spice, wash or shake out the seeds. Placed the drained chillies into your blender with the rest of the rempah.
Add the turmeric powder to the blender.
Now place the cover on the blender and blitz until you achieve a fine paste. Don't worry too much if you have bigger pieces of chilli remaining, this will cook out and break down. But make sure all the other ingredients are blended finely. Dont be tempted to add water, the juice from your onion will add plenty of liquid!
Heat the oil on medium heat in a wok or saucepan and stirfry the rempah paste and the stalk of bruised lemongrass. Cook until the paste starts to darken, is fragrant and the oils begin to seperate. Add the chicken portions and coat them with the spice paste. Allow the chicken to seal so that the majority of the exposed flesh is white rather than pink.
Pour in the coconut milk, the second measure of water and the tamarind pulp you prepared earlier.
Tear 5 of your kaffir lime leaves once on each side and drop them into the wok or saucepan, along with the salt.
Mix well and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until the chicken is done.
Add the last 2 kaffir lime leaves 5 minutes before the end of cooking time. 30 Minutes Simmering Time
Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed. Turn the chicken off the heat and finish by stirring in the freshly squeezed lime juice. Add 1 Tbsp, taste and then add more if it needs it, or if you like it! 5 Minutes Cooking
Now leave the chcken to rest for 10 - 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
15 Minutes Resting Time
Ingredients
Directions
Boil the first measure of water. Then, using a sharp knife or scissors, cut the chillies into 2 or 3 pieces, and add them to a bowl.
Pour your freshly boiled, now hot, water onto the cut chillies, leaving a little for the tamarind below. Cover and leave to soak for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the tamarind. 15 Minutes Soaking Time
Place the tamarind pulp into a small bowl. Pour enough hot water over the pulp ensuring that all of it is fully covered. Cover the bowl and set it aside until needed for cooking. 10 Minutes soaking time
When it's time to use the tamarind, firstly mash the soaked and now very soft pulp with a fork, or with your fingers.
Make sure you keep all the soft and gooey pulp, and only remove the seeds and any fibre from the shell that may have slipped in. Throw the fibres and seeds away, but make sure you keep as much pulp as possible, truat me this stuff is delicious!
Once done you will pour the tamarind juice over the sambal. (Just not yet!)
Most recipes call for you to strain this through a sieve, but my plea is don't strain it, as you'll lose too much of the good stuff. Just ensure all the seed, fibre and shell is picked out (and thats simple)
You can see in the photo how smooth it will be!
Now peel the onion and chop it roughly into chunks
Peel the garlic cloves.
Prepare 5 of the 6 lemongrass stalks. Cut off the hard tops, and the root end. The slcie into circles or chunks. It doesnt need to be perfect as its going in a blender.
Prepare the top and tail of the last lemongrass stalk, but dont chop it up. Simply whack one the root end to bust and bruise it. The set it aside.
Finally prepare the galangal by rubbing the skin off and slicing it into chunks or rings.
Place all of this into a food processor. (but not that final stalk of lemongrass)
Drain the chillies that you have been soaking. Rinse them under fresh water and if you dont like spice, wash or shake out the seeds. Placed the drained chillies into your blender with the rest of the rempah.
Add the turmeric powder to the blender.
Now place the cover on the blender and blitz until you achieve a fine paste. Don't worry too much if you have bigger pieces of chilli remaining, this will cook out and break down. But make sure all the other ingredients are blended finely. Dont be tempted to add water, the juice from your onion will add plenty of liquid!
Heat the oil on medium heat in a wok or saucepan and stirfry the rempah paste and the stalk of bruised lemongrass. Cook until the paste starts to darken, is fragrant and the oils begin to seperate. Add the chicken portions and coat them with the spice paste. Allow the chicken to seal so that the majority of the exposed flesh is white rather than pink.
Pour in the coconut milk, the second measure of water and the tamarind pulp you prepared earlier.
Tear 5 of your kaffir lime leaves once on each side and drop them into the wok or saucepan, along with the salt.
Mix well and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until the chicken is done.
Add the last 2 kaffir lime leaves 5 minutes before the end of cooking time. 30 Minutes Simmering Time
Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed. Turn the chicken off the heat and finish by stirring in the freshly squeezed lime juice. Add 1 Tbsp, taste and then add more if it needs it, or if you like it! 5 Minutes Cooking
Now leave the chcken to rest for 10 - 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
15 Minutes Resting Time