Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour
Serves
Serves 4
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and preheat a large griddle pan until hot.
For the poussins, place the softened chillies, shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal and salt into a food processor and blend. Add a little water if necessary to form a smooth paste. (Blend the hardest ingredients first, then add the softer ones to the processor to ensure the paste is very smooth.)
Bruise the lemongrass with a rolling pin, then place a stalk inside the body cavity of each poussin.
Rub half of the spice paste over both the insides and outsides of the poussins.
Place the remaining spice paste into a pan. Add the coconut cream and sugar and place over a medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer, until the liquid has reduced by half.
Place the poussins onto the hot griddle pan and griddle for 3-4 minutes on all sides to achieve golden-brown griddle marks all over.
Transfer the poussins to a roasting tray and place into the oven to roast for 15-20 minutes, or until completely cooked through. During cooking, baste the poussins with the reduced coconut cream and spice mixture every five minutes.
Remove the poussins and leave to rest for 4-5 minutes in a warm place. Before serving, pour all of the juices from the roasting tray over the poussins and drizzle with the lime juice.
For the dressing, reduce the oven temperature to 180C/365F/Gas 4.
Place the shrimp paste into kitchen foil and wrap up to seal. Bake in the oven for ten minutes, or until it becomes nutty and drier (it should smell aromatic rather than pungent).
Grind the chillies and ginger together in a pestle and mortar.
Add the roasted shrimp paste and grind again with the pestle and mortar to combine well.
Add the tamarind pulp, lime juice, water, fish sauce and sugar and mix well.
For the rojak salad, place the cucumber, pineapple, mango, papaya and apple into a bowl and mix together well.
Add the spring onion and mint and mix through gently.
Add half of the peanuts and stir through gently.
Pour over the dressing and stir again to coat well.
To serve, place a poussin onto each plate. Add a couple of spoonfuls of salad and garnish with the remaining peanuts and a few mint leaves.
By Paul Merrett
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