Starting with Thai....

I'm back from my "break" on this blog. From now on I'll post stuff here every week! I'll do my best to give you guys a piece of my mind when it comes to one of my favorite topics ( and hopefully yours as well) -- FOOD!!!

OK! to start things off, today I tried out an old recipe given to me by a friend. I also wanted to practice this savory dish for an upcoming Christmas party. This "Chicken Pandan" dish is authentic Thai cooking and guys if you have never eaten Thai before you're missing a lot! Thai cuisine is packed with powerful flavors from strong spices and herbs that gives life to your pallet ( as compared to the boring cream and butter stuff, no offense).

Making this dish is easy. Anyone can do this. For my recipe I used boneless chicken thighs which are then portioned in to 4 pieces ( pleeaaaseeee leave the skin on, unless of course your on diet or a health buff coz chicken skin as I've heared is 80% fat! whoa!). I prefer thighs because they're "juicier" and softer. I then marinate the meat for about an hour with chopped cilantro (leaves and stems are good), chopped garlic, black pepper, sugar, soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, fish sauce, and a little coconut milk (optional). I also prefer to put a little amount of white vinegar and chili flakes but this is only my preference. For the dipping sauce-I simmer water, soy sauce, sugar, small chunks of ginger, bits of cilantro stems, chili flakes and toasted sesame seeds in a pot until thick. Adding a little salt and pepper is ok.
Now for the cooking part......method: deep fat frying. Yes! its deep fried. Please don't think about calories, cholesterol, fat or anything related now LOL. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the authentic way of doing it so if you try any other cooking method then yes it MIGHT work but I dare not call it Thai Chicken Pandan anymore :) ( although there is also a recipe that calls for steaming, the chicken is still fried after being steamed!) First, wrap a portion of chicken in a pandan leaf and secure with a toothpick to ensure that it doesn't break apart during cooking. You can do any design on the leaves just make sure the chicken is "wrapped" inside. Fry the pieces in oil until cooked through, drain in paper towels and serve!
How to eat this wonderful creation? Unwrap the bird, take a mouthful slice, dip it in the sauce, open your mouth, chew slowly while closing your eyes!!! LOL!!!

Fragrant, Juicy, Hearty, Full of flavor, and a world famous dish!...proudly presenting Thailand's Chicken Pandan!