Impressive Christmas Chicken

Christmas Chicken

I have had a blast this Christmas, cooking all my favourite foods and trying out new recipes.  There's a real satisfaction in churning out fantastic food and I have experienced it very often.  There's nothing I like better than to see people enjoying the food I cooked.  It makes everything worthwhile and here is another simple recipe for the home cook.  Make your Christmas special with this unique blend of coconut milk, lemon grass, chilli powder and other aromatic ingredients.  This is one Christmas Chicken everyone will love.

The Recipe:

1 chicken, whole without skin, wash and drain completely.  Around 1 to 1.2 kg should do.

1 cup coconut milk; 1/2 tsp tamarind paste; 5 kaffir lime leaves and 2 stalks of lemon grass, slit and bruised

For The Marinade: 1 1/4 tsp chilli powder; 1 stalk lemon grass, use only the white part.  If you cannot get lemon grass use about 1 tsp lemon zest; 5 candle nuts; 1 inch piece ginger; 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled; 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1 large onion, sliced; salt to taste; 3 tbsp oil for frying or grilling.
Blend to a thick paste and keep aside.

Marinade the whole chicken in half the marinade overnight in the refrigerator.  Next day, heat a large non stick wok large enough to hold the chicken.  Add oil and lower flame.  Brown the chicken all over, taking care to keep it whole.  Add the remaining paste, coconut milk, tamarind paste, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves.  Gently stir to mix well.  Cover and cook till chicken is tender.  Garnish with spring onions and serve hot with Fragrant Christmas Rice.

NB:  You can use almonds instead of candlenuts if desired.