Chicken with Coconut Milk and Laos Recipe

If you live in a country where you can get fresh laos (kha) and lemon grass by all means use them, substituting a knob of Laos sliced, and 2 stalks lemon grass, for the dried or powdered laos and the lemon rind.

Ingredients : Serves 5

6 pieces dried Laos or 4 teaspoons Laos powder

1 roasting chicken, about 1.25 kg (2'/z lb)

2 1/2 cups thin coconut milk 1 cup thick coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2-3 fresh coriander roots, crushed

6 strips thinly peeled lemon rind

3 fresh green chilies

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 fresh leaves from lemon or other citrus tree

1 tablespoon fish sauce lemon juice to taste

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method :

Soak the dried laos in hot water for 30 minutes. Cut chicken into serving pieces and put into saucepan with thin coconut milk, laos, pepper, coriander roots, lemon rind, chilies (whole), salt and citrus leaves. Bring slowly to the boil and simmer, uncovered, until chicken is tender, stirring occasionally. Add thick coconut milk and stir constantly until it returns to the boil. Remove from heat and stir in the fish sauce and lemon juice. Serve in a deep dish or bowl with chopped coriander leaves on top. Accompany with white rice.