Fragrant screwpine or pan-danus palm leaves add their subtle fragrance to this deep-fried chicken dish, which is the Thai version of the popular Chinese Chee Pow Gai (Paper-wrapped Chicken).
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500 g) boneless chicken meat
- 16 pandanus leaves
- Oil for deep-frying
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic and 3 coriander roots, pounded together to a paste
Sauce
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- 1 cup (250 ml) distilled white vinegar
- ½ (100 g) sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
How to Make It
- Cut the chicken meat into bite-sized chunks. Mix the Marinade ingredients well into the chicken. Set aside in the refrigerator to marinate for 3 hours.
- To prepare the Sauce, dry-fry the sesame seeds in a skillet for 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside. Mix the remaining Sauce ingredients together in a bowl, then add the sesame seeds and set aside.
- Wrap two or three pieces of the chicken in each pandanus leaf to form a knot (see photo). Alternatively, wrap each pan-danus leaf around the chicken to form a bundle and secure with a toothpick.
- Heat the oil in a wok or small frying pan. Deep-fry the chicken until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Serve with the Sauce and steamed rice.