Pandan leaves (long, flat and strap-like) are used in many ways in Asian cooking. Until recently they were only exported in dried form. A couple of strips boiled with rice give a good flavor. They are also simmered in curries.
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Fresh pandan leaves are sold in Asian shops and it is worth looking for them. They are pounded to a paste to flavor and colour cakes and puddings. In Thailand they are used to fashion tiny cases for sweets, which not only look dainty but also impart their delicate flavor. This recipe is a perfect example of how they wrap and flavor at the same time.
Serves 4
- 500 g (1 lb) chicken thigh fillets
- 1-2 tablespoons Pepper, Garlic and Coriander Paste (see page 172) or
- Charmaine Solomon’s Thai Barbecue Marinade
- 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
- pandan leaves, fresh or frozen (dried are not suitable)
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Trim any excess fat from the chicken and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Combine all the remaining ingredients (except the pandan leaves) and mix well with the chicken. Cover and leave to marinate for 30 minutes or longer. If using frozen pandan leaves, leave at room temperature to thaw and become flexible. Place 2 pieces of chicken on each strip of pandan leaf which should be cut just long enough to completely wrap the chicken. Fasten with toothpicks.
When the little parcels are all made cook them over glowing coals on a barbecue or under a preheated griller, about a handspan from the source of heat. Turn them after 4 minutes and cook for a further 4 minutes. Serve straight away. Diners need to unwrap the parcels before eating.