Name: JoyBird’s Balinese curried chicken
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4
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

JoyBird’s Balinese curried chicken

A whole chicken, slathered in yellow curry paste, and grilled over coals. Prepare for the flavour onslaught.

Serves 4

Prep

30M

Cook

50M

Total

1H 20M

“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.

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

1.For 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).

2.Add 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.

3.Cover chicken with 180ml curry sauce, cover and refrigerate to marinate (at least 2 hours or overnight).

4.Burn 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.

5.Meanwhile, 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.