Recipe

Grilled lemongrass chicken with tomato rice

Photography by Bauer Syndication.

  • 55 mins cooking
  • Serves 4
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Ingredients

Grilled lemongrass chicken
  • 2 clove cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 2 small red chillies, coarsely chopped
  • 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, coarsely chopped
  • 40 gram soft palm sugar, coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 50 millilitre soy sauce
  • 50 millilitre fish sauce
  • juice 1 lime
  • 4 chicken legs, halved through the joint, skin slashed in several places
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
Tomato rice
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 2 clove cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 300 gram (1½ cups) jasmine rice
  • 200 gram canned cherry tomatoes
  • 50 millilitre fish sauce
  • 2 cup chicken stock, boiling
To serve
  • sliced mint leaves
  • chopped coriander
  • fried shallots
  • lime wedges

Method

Grilled lemongrass chicken with tomato rice
  • 1
    Preheat oven to 220°C. Process garlic, chilli, lemongrass, palm sugar and sea salt in a food processor until finely chopped, then add soy sauce, fish sauce and lime juice and process to combine.
  • 2
    Combine paste in a glass, plastic, or stainless steel (non-reactive) container with chicken, coating well, and set aside to marinate (10 minutes).
  • 3
    Meanwhile, for tomato rice, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add shallots and garlic, and stir occasionally until tender (2-3 minutes).
  • 4
    Add rice and stir to coat in oil. Add tomato and fish sauce, stir to combine, then add boiling stock, stir to combine and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, season to taste, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook, without uncovering, for 15 minutes. Remove lid, cover with a tea towel, replace lid, then remove from heat and stand to steam (5 minutes).
  • 5
    Drain chicken from marinade (reserve marinade). Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add chicken skin-side down and cook, turning once, until browned (4-5 minutes). Add marinade to pan and turn chicken skin-side down again, transfer to oven and roast, basting occasionally, until cooked through (6-8 minutes). Serve hot with tomato rice, herbs, fried shallots and lime wedges.

Notes

Fried shallots are optional, but add excellent texture. They’re available in Asian grocers and some supermarkets. Make your own by dusting chopped shallots in cornflour and shallow frying until golden brown.