ayam taliwang + asinan

This recipe, from Fire Islands: Recipes from Indonesia by Eleanor Ford, hails from Lombok and definitely lives up to being “everything you could hope for in grilled chicken”. Despite a few substitutions, the marinade, which also becomes the sauce, had flavour and heat from garlic and many chillies; sourness from lemon; fragrance from curry and…… Continue reading ayam taliwang + asinan

coconut roast chicken

I love cookbooks. My latest birthday gift, Fire Islands: Recipes from Indonesia by Eleanor Ford is no exception. The book is full of interesting regional recipes, all beautifully photographed. The chicken in this recipe is coated with a wonderful combination of tamarind, coconut milk and spices which not only ensure the chicken remains succulent but…… Continue reading coconut roast chicken

chicken in a chorizo and red wine sauce

This wonderful recipe, from The Foods and Wines of Spain by Penelope Casas, is a family favourite. Serve it with crusty bread, a fresh green salad and a robust red wine. This recipe is for a whole jointed chicken but any bone-in chicken will work. Season your chicken pieces with salt and freshly ground black pepper and…… Continue reading chicken in a chorizo and red wine sauce

hainanese chicken rice

Adapted from early Chinese immigrants from Hainan province in Southern China, Hainanese Chicken Rice is a popular street food in Singapore and Malaysia. There are many different cooking methods and the dipping sauces seem to be a personal choice. I chose to follow Rosemary Brissenden’s recipe from her book South East Asian Food. The chicken is steeped…… Continue reading hainanese chicken rice

chicken with cardamom rice + spinach salad with dates

Two fragrant dishes from JERUSALEM by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. This one-pot chicken and rice dish is wonderfully spiced, rich with caramelised onions, tangy with barberries and fresh with herbs. First put 2-3 tablespoons of sugar into a small saucepan with an equal amount of water and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat, add…… Continue reading chicken with cardamom rice + spinach salad with dates