Serves 4

4 dried chillies, soaked in hot water to soften
5 shallots, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
2cm (3/4 in) piece of fresh root ginger
2 cm (3/4 in) piece of galangal (if galangal is not available, use double the quantity of ginger)
1 teaspoon salt
4 stalks lemongrass, tough outer leaves discarded
4 baby chickens (poussins)
300ml (10fl oz) coconut cream
juice of 2 limes

The chicken dish can be started on the barbecue or in a griddle pan, then finished in the oven. Preheat the oven to 200ºC (440ºF/Gas 6).

Drain the dried chillies once soft, and blend or process with the shallot, garlic, ginger, galangal, and salt. Add a little water to form a paste. Work the hardest ingredients first, then the softer ones, to ensure the paste is very smooth.

Bruise the lemongrass using the back of a heavy knife. Stuff each chicken with the lemongrass, then rub the spice paste both inside and out. Put the remaining spice mixture in a pan with the coconut cream and sugar. Simmer until reduced by half.

Place the baby chickens on the on the hot barbecue or griddle, and grill for 3-4 minutes on all sides. Transfer to an oven tray, and roast in the oven for 15 minutes or so, basting the chicken with the coconut mixture every 5 minutes or so while it is cooking, until the chicken is tender and coconut mixture is all used up.  (If you are cooking a larger chicken, it will need t be roasted in the oven for about 45 minutes after you have grilled it on all sides.)

Before serving, pour all the juices from the pan over the chicken and finish with the lime juice. The marinade and method of cooking is also suitable for drumsticks or chicken pieces. Serve accompanied by rice, fresh sald, vegetables or Singapore rojak salad (see my book pp58-9).

From Street Food by Tom Kime
Dorling Kindersley

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