INGREDIENTS
1 free range chicken (approx. 1.5kg), butterflied
2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves, roughly chopped
2 eschallots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp (40ml) fish sauce
1 tbsp palm or coconut sugar
2 tbsp (40ml) peanut oil
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 lime for zest and 2 tbsp (40ml) lime juice
1/4 cup each coriander and mint leaves, to serve
Steamed jasmine rice, cabbage salad and lime wedges, to serve
METHOD
1. To butterfly the chicken: Place it back.side up on a board and, using a very sharp pair of kitchen shears, cut down each side of the spine and remove the backbone. Turn breast-side up and press on the sternum until chicken flattens out.
2. Blitz lemongrass, kaffir lime, eschallots and garlic in a small food processor, or chop finely then pound with mortar and pestle. Add fish sauce, sugar, peanut oil, pepper and lime zest and blitz again.
3. Place the chicken skin-side up in a non-reactive shallow dish and rub the marinade all over, pushing some under the skin. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. Place the chicken on a rack set over a roasting tray and roast for 45minutes until cooked through and the skin is crisp. If marinade starts to blacken, cover loosely with foil for last 15 minutes or so. Alternatively, cook on a barbecue over indirect heat with the lid down until done.
5. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes, then squeeze over the lime juice just before carving.
6. Serve, scattered with herbs with steamed jasmine rice, a simple cabbage salad and extra lime wedges.