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Grilled coconut chicken with green papaya salad

Name: Grilled coconut chicken with green papaya salad recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 5 coriander roots, washed, chopped; 6 garlic cloves; 1/2 tsp whole white peppercorns; 160.00ml fish sauce; 80g coconut cream; 1.6kg chicken; 50g palm sugar, finely grated; 40.00 ml tamarind puree; 1/4 tsp chilli powder; 4 garlic cloves; 4 small green Thai chillies (or to taste), chopped; 125g cherry tomatoes, halved; 30.00 ml dried shrimp (from Asian grocers); 30.00 ml coarsely ground toasted peanuts, plus extra to serve; 5 snake beans, cut into 4cm lengths; 800g papaya; 40.00 ml lime juice

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by Annita Potter

CHEF

Jan 10, 2024

In Thailand, people use a large, tall mortar and pestle to make this delicious papaya salad. We've used a large saucepan and rolling pin instead. You'll need to start this recipe a day ahead.

5 coriander roots, washed, chopped
6 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp whole white peppercorns
1/3 cup (80ml) fish sauce
1/3 cup (80g) coconut cream (the thick part from the top of the can)
1 (1.6kg) whole chicken, butterflied with backbone removed

Tamarind chilli sauce

1/3 cup (80ml) fish sauce
50g palm sugar, finely grated
2 tbs tamarind puree
1/4 tsp chilli powder

Salad

4 garlic cloves
4 small green Thai chillies (or to taste), chopped
125g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 tbs dried shrimp (from Asian grocers)
1 1/2 tbs coarsely ground toasted peanuts, plus extra to serve
5 snake beans, cut into 4cm lengths
1 (800g) green papaya, peeled, shredded
2 tbs lime juice

Method

1.

Using a mortar and pestle, make a paste by pounding the chopped coriander root with a large pinch of salt flakes. Add the garlic and white pepper and continue to pound until a fine paste. Transfer to a glass bowl and add fish sauce and coconut cream. Stir until combined, then add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2.

The following morning, remove chicken from marinade (reserving the marinade) and leave to drain on a wire rack. Heat a barbecue or chargrill to medium heat and cook chicken, with hood down, for 1 hour 10 minutes, basting regularly with reserved marinade and turning once or twice, until golden, fragrant and cooked. Remove and rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 20 minutes.
3.

For the chilli sauce, place all ingredients in a jar with 2 tbs water. Close lid and shake until sugar dissolves.
4.

For the salad, using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chilli with a large pinch of salt flakes. Add tomatoes, then toss in the mortar and crush with the pestle along with the dried shrimp and peanuts until well crushed. Transfer mixture to a large saucepan with the snake beans and papaya and use a rolling pin to bruise the vegetables.
5.

Season with lime juice and 1/4 cup (60ml) tamarind chilli sauce.
6.

Carve the rested chicken into 4 pieces and serve with green papaya salad and remaining tamarind sauce alongside.