Malay-Style Roast Chicken

Recipe from: September 08 Simply Her Magazine

This was really yummy and I think makes the chicken tender and juicy. I created my own gravy and served it with a mixed salad and purple sweet potato and white potato mash. The list of ingredients sounds exhaustive, but for me I already had all of them in my pantry or freezer since these ingredients are commonly used in Indonesian/Malay cooking.

Ingredients (serves 4)

:

1 chicken
5 dried red chillies, soaked in hot water for 5 min and drained
1 tbsp coriander seeds (I used the powder form)
1 tsp cumin seeds (I used the powder form)
1 thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled
1 thumb-sized piece galangal, peeled
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 stalk lemongrass (white part only), bruised
1/4 cup coconut milk

Directions:
1. Make cuts on the breasts and thighs of the chicken.
2. Grind or pound the chillies, coriander and cumin seeds, ginger, galangal, garlic, oil, soya sauce and salt to a fine paste. Add the turmeric powder. Mix well.
3. Rub marinade all over the chicken and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Use plastic gloves or a basting brush so your hands don't stain.
4. Leave the lemongrass to steep in the coconut milk for an hour.
5. Pre-heat oven to 225degrees. Lightly grease a roasting tin before putting the chicken in.
6. Baste the chicken with the lemongrass infused coconut milk and roast for 1 1/2 hours. basting occasionally with the coconut milk.

For the gravy:
After the chicken has cooked, transfer it to another dish and put the roasting pan (if it's a metal one) on the stovetop. Sprinkle some flour into the pan and scrape off the yummy stuff on the bottom. Add some chicken stock, stir and bring to boil. Add a couple dashes of worcestershire sauce and season to taste.