Spicy Roasted Chicken in Banana Leaves
Name: Spicy Roast Chicken in Banana Leaves
Source: The Food of India: Priya Wickramasinghe and Carol Selva Rajah
Course: Main Course
Category: Unfiled
Rating: 4
Difficulty: 3
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1.5 hours
Yield: 6 servings
Description:
Ingredients:
1 2kg Chicken
3 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Oil
2 Onions Roughly Chopped
4 Cloves Garlic Crushed
1 4cm Ginger Rouchly Chopped
1 30gm Almonds Ground
1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1 Teaspoon Tumeric Ground
2 Teaspoon Garam Masala
3 Coriander Roots Chopped
4 Tablespoon Coriander Chopped
3 Banana Leaves Young
Directions:
1: Trim off any excess fat from the chicken. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels and prick all over with a skewer so the marinade can penetrate the flesh. Rub the lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of salt all over the skin and inside the cavity of the chicken.
2: Heat the oil in a heavy based frying pan over low heat, add the onion and cook until the onion starts to brown. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for two minutes, or until soft. Add the almonds, chili powder, tumeric, garam masala and cook for 1 minute. Allow the onion to cool completely.
3: Place the cooled mixture in a food processor or a pestle and mortar, along with the coriander roots and leaves. Grind to a smooth paste and rub the paste thoroughly all over the chicken and inside the cavity. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
4: Peheat the oven to 200 deg c (400 deg f). Soften the banana leaves by dipping them into a pan of very hot water. Wipe the pieces dry as they become pliant. Tie the legs of the chicken together to keep them in place.
5: Wrap the chicken in the banana leaves, making sure that it is well covered. Tie a piece of kitchen string around the chicken like a parcel. If you can't buy banana leaves, wrap up the chicken in a large sheet of foil instead. Place the chicken in a roasting tin and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Unwrap the banana leaves or the foil from around the top of the chicken, baste the chicken with some of the juices and return it to the oven for 10 minutes, or until well browned. Check that the chicken is cooked by pulling away one leg - the juices should run clear. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before carving.