"Shobosho did an event earlier this year in Ubud where we were meant to cook our teriyaki chicken," says chef Adam Liston. "My sous-chef Yumi and I were blown away by a yellow curry we had the night before, so we asked how to make the base and changed our recipe. The result was outstanding." Start this recipe at least 4 hours ahead to marinate the chicken.
JoyBird's Balinese curried chicken
A whole chicken, slathered in yellow curry paste, and grilled over coals. Prepare for the flavour onslaught.
- 30 mins preparation
- 50 mins cooking (plus marinating)
- Serves 4
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Ingredients
- 300 ml coconut crean
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.6kg), butterflied
- Lemon halves, to serve
Curry paste
- 55 gm onion (about ½ small onion), coarsely chopped
- 20 gm ginger (about 4cm), coarsely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 60 gm long red chillies
- 1 birdseye chilli
- 2 tbsp ground turmeric
- 10 gm galangal, thinly sliced
- 1 lemongrass stalk (white part only), very thinly sliced
- ¼ cup makrut lime leaves, very thinly sliced
- 1½ tbsp shrimp paste
- 125 ml (½ cup) vegetable oil
Method
- 1For curry paste, blend ingredients (except oil) in a small food processor until very finely chopped, then with the motor running, slowly drizzle in oil until a purée. Fry curry paste in a saucepan over medium heat until fragrant and excess water has evaporated (3 minutes).
- 2Add coconut cream, soy sauce, sugar, fish sauce andna pinch of salt to saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil until thickened (5-10 minutes), then strain through a sieve and cool.
- 3Cover chicken with 180ml curry sauce, cover and refrigerate to marinate (at least 2 hours or overnight).
- 4Burn coals down on a charcoal barbecue to medium heat. Place chicken skin-side down on grill and cook, turning and basting with curry sauce occasionally, until cooked through (30-40 minutes; juices will run clear when a thigh is pierced with a skewer), then cut into 8 pieces.
- 5Meanwhile, grill lemons cutside down over coals until lightly caramelised (2 minutes). Warm remaining curry sauce in a small saucepan over low heat (1-2 minutes). Pour over chicken and serve with lemon.
Notes
Wine suggestion Scintilla Ouille savagnin from the Fleurieu Peninsula. Wine suggestion by Ollie Margan.