A chicken to transport

So, transport you to where you may ask? Considering the recipe I used was called 'Balinese chicken', I guess there or somewhere equally tropical. The flavours were certainly reminiscent of my time there, hot, sour, sweet, slightly bitter and fragrant, everything that is synonymous with food from South East Asia. The original recipe featured a whole chicken, highly flavoured with a bright, clean and tangy marinade, to be grilled over charcoal. Being of the tiny apartment balcony variety, I don't have this option.

We once tried a barbecue only to have the apartment fill with smoke that smelt like paraffin for days. Therefore, I have to imagine I am standing on a sun drenched beach, drink in one hand and tongs in the other, poised over my chicken as it char grills to perfection. Probably the soft lap of the ocean's waves would be near and some sort of soft music playing in the background.....Maybe I'm getting carried away, it's only chicken.

 

The recipe included making a spice paste based on turmeric, shallots, garlic, chilies and ginger. Having to substitute an onion for the shallots probably meant some of the subtlety and delicateness was lost, onions having so much more potency than their smaller, more refined cousins. This did give the whole dish a little bitterness, but as I keep reading, bitterness is an adult, sophisticated taste, so we should all embrace it more. It makes sense, I suppose, when you consider how our taste buds change as we get older, learning to appreciate those 'acquired' tastes such as olives, dark chocolate and wine.

The chicken is slathered with the paste and a 'fresh' bay leaf stuck on top and refrigerated over night. Mine had approximately 30 minutes, not quite the well marinated chicken of Bali, but enough to give it a gentle flavour.

I made a cucumber salad to serve with it, this being something of a habit now with Asian foods. So simple, just a cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped with some mint, a chili, a little sugar and some vinegar. Perfect to accompany something rich and spicy.

I made a peanut sauce to give the chicken some moisture, being a fan of sauces with just about anything and added some radishes for colour. The broccolini looks so promising in the shop but always disappoints due to my lack of imagination as to how to cook it, really, I need some help here. Beautiful visions of purple sprouting broccoli with just a lick of anchovy butter or perhaps some Hollandaise swim before my eyes, but then I always boil it and serve it with nothing more than a little salt, this must change.

 

Recipe : Balinese chicken (adapted from Food and Wine magazine, June 2011)

2 chicken breasts

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 chilies

1/2 small onion, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 bay leaves

Juice of half a lime

Whizz everything except the chicken and bay leaves together in a food processor to create a paste.

Transfer the paste to a pan and heat, stirring, over medium heat until it becomes fragrant and slightly browned, let cool.

Place the chicken onto a baking tray and rub the marinade well into both sides, (I cut some slits in the chicken also to help the marinade penetrate). Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for as long as you can, (preferably overnight or 8 hours).

When you're ready to cook the chicken, remove from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Place a bay leaf on top of each one. You can whack the grill (broiler) up to high and grill for around 20 minutes until cooked, (ensure the juices run clear) or grill on a barbecue or even bake in the oven.

Recipe : Peanut sauce. (This makes a nice sauce to complement the chicken or can be used with satay or as a dipping sauce). Adapted from Weight Watchers 'New complete cookbook'.

3 tbsp smooth peanut butter

1 clove garlic, peeled

2 tbsp soy sauce

4 tsp sugar

2 tbsp water

1 and 1/4 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp chopped cilantro or mint

Blend everything together in a food processor and chill until needed.

Recipe : Cucumber and chili salad

1/4 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks

1 small chili, seeded and sliced

2 radishes, sliced finely

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped finely

1/4 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp white wine vinegar or fish sauce

Mix everything together in a bowl.