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Welcome to the Gourmet Chicken Series. Today we bring you Thai Pandan Chicken

Ingredients:

1 package chicken wings or small chicken drumsticks,
1 package pandan leaves,
oil for deep frying,

Marinade:

1/2 can good quality thick coconut milk,
2 tsp. ground coriander seeds,
2 tsp. dark soy sauce,
2 tbsp. fish sauce,
2 tbsp. oyster sauce,
2-3 cloves garlic,
1 thumb-size piece galangal (or ginger) peeled and sliced,
juice from half a lime,
1/4 tsp. pandan paste,
1 green chilli, de-seeded and minced (optional)

Method:

1. Place all marinade/sauce ingredients in a food processor. Process well. (NB: that the sauce will turn bright green, which is what you want)

2. Taste test the sauce for salt and spice. (If not salty enough, add a little more fish sauce. If too salty, add a little more lime. If too spicy, add more coconut milk. And if it's not spicy enough, add more green chilli.)

3. Pour 1/3 of the sauce over the chicken and mix to combine.

4. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour before cooking, or preferably overnight. (NB: that the longer the chicken marinates, the more "green" it will appear. This is a good sign, as it means the chicken has been infused with the flavor and color of the pandan)

5. Pour the rest of the marinade/sauce into a bowl or container. This will be used later. (NB: If you plan to let the chicken marinate overnight, place covered sauce in the refrigerator)

6. After the chicken is done marinating, take a long pandan leaf in your hand and use it to "wrap" the drumstick or chicken piece.

7. Start wrapping several inches down the leaf to allow enough extra for tying both ends together when you're done. The leaf needn't cover the chicken completely - 1 pandan leaf per chicken piece is enough. If using drumsticks, start and end the wrapping at the end of the drumstick (on the bone).

8. Deep fry the chicken pieces (this takes between 10 and 18 minutes depending on the size of the pieces and the heat of your oil), or grill them on the barbeque. Cook until chicken is golden brown and pandan leaves have turned dark/brown.

9. Serve together with the pandan sauce you made earlier (this sauce can be served at room temperature or gently heated up, if preferred. (NB: don't overheat or cook it, as you will then lose most of the flavor and nutrients of the sauce).

If serving as an appetizer, place the sauce in a bowl in the center of your serving platter for dipping. If an entree, serve with plenty of Thai jasmine rice with the sauce either poured over the chicken, or served on the side. To eat, unwind the pandan leaf from the chicken piece and discard. Dip the chicken into the pandan sauce and eat, or pour some of the sauce over the chicken and enjoy with rice. This makes a terrific party food!

BON AP'TIT......