Ingredients
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 corn fed chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
2 lemon grass sticks
1 lime, juiced
1-2 tbsp sweet sherry, pale or cream
1 red chilli, seeded and de-veined (use less if really spicy)
1 bunch of coriander, chop one sprig of 5/6 stems
5/6 chinese sweet basil leaves or ordinary basil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2.5cm/1in ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium or 4 baby sized spring onions, halved length-ways and fanned
oil or butter for light frying (optional)
banana leaves, approx. 50cms wide by 50cms long - 4 strips x 10cms wide (or use cooking foil if you can't get banana leaves)
Method
1. Heat a ridged frying pan/skillet.
2. Dry roast the cumin in the pan on low-medium heat for about 5 minutes.
3. To make the paste: in a small food processor, blend the core of the lemon grass stalks, using the most tender insides, along with the red chilli, garlic cloves, lime juice, sherry, coriander, basil.
4. Remove the cumin from the pan and crush lightly with a pestle and mortar.
5. Put the frying pan back on the heat and turn up to medium.
6. Wash the chicken breasts and remove skin and any fat.
7. Using a sharp knife, slit the breast so as to butterfly the meat, using the thickest edge of the breast as your "hinge". Leave to drain.
8. Check the frying pan is hot and dot with a small knob of butter (optional) then wipe the ridges with a dry kitchen paper.
9. Sprinkle half the cumin, some black pepper and salt over the pan.
10. Place the chicken breasts on pan - they should sizzle.
11. As the colour changes (check after 1 minute), turn 180 degrees so that the ridges pattern a cross design. Turn over.
12. Fry the raw side of the chicken breasts - maximum of one minute - aim to keep the middle pink and uncooked as otherwise the meat will dry out in the oven. Remove from the pan and place onto a cold plate.
13. preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4.
14. Prepare the wraps - wash and dry the banana skins if using and split into approx. 10 cm strips. Make a few strips to use as string - long enough to tie around the whole breasts.
Lay the two wider banana strips over each other in the shape of a cross, if using.
15. Place the chicken breasts in the middle of the over lap or in the middle of the two 30cm/12in square pieces of foil.
16. Spread equal amounts of the paste in the middle of the split pockets, lay 4 thin slices of ginger and the fanned spring onion. Then fold over and tie with string or a small strip of banana leaf.
17. If using banana leaf: roll up the breast in one length of the banana leaf and then place at 180 degrees to fold over the other leaf and tie with another thin strip to make a mini parcel. Try not to lose any of the juices. If worried, place the breast on a square piece of foil and fold over the four corners to make a tall parcel. This method should be used if not using banana leaf.
18. Place on a baking tray and put into the oven for approx. 15-20 mins. This should be just sufficient to heat the paste juices through and finish cooking the chicken. Once the time is up, remove promptly and open the parcel slightly to let air escape and slow down further cooking.
