Poultry rewards

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

100g coconut cream

100g massaman curry paste (below)

20ml fish sauce

20g palm sugar

60ml tamarind water

2 x 400ml cans coconut milk

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and

cut into large pieces

10 lime leaves, torn

4 large red chillies, cut into

pieces

2 lemongrass stalks, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces

6 skinless chicken thigh fillets,cut into 3 pieces each

about 20 large raw prawns, peeled and deveined

Thai basil leaves, to garnish

MASSAMAN CURRY PASTE

6 large red chillies, deseeded and chopped

2 lemongrass stalks, peeled and chopped

50g galangal, peeled and chopped

4 shallots, about 100g, sliced

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 kaffir lime or 1 regular lime,
chopped

20g ground white peppercorns

50g shrimp paste

20g roasted dried shrimps

Method

To make the curry paste, put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and add some salt if necessary.

To make the curry, melt the coconut cream in a saucepan, stirring constantly to stop the cream burning. When it has separated, fry the curry paste in the fat until it is fragrant. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, tamarind water and cook until the mixture darkens. Add the coconut milk and pineapple and 
bring to the boil. Throw 
in the kaffir lime leaves, chillies and lemongrass, 
then add the chicken. Return to the boil and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the prawns, bring back to the boil and cook for another 3 minutes. Take the pan from the heat and leave it for 20 minutes to infuse while you cook your rice.

Return the curry to the 
stove, bring it to the boil and cook for 3 minutes. Serve garnished with some Thai basil leaves.

TIP: To make tamarind water, I tend to massage fresh tamarind paste in an equal volume of hot water until softened, then drain off the flavoured liquid.

CHICKEN KIEV

SERVES 2

Ingredients

50g butter, softened

1-2 fat cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

2 tsp lemon juice

2 skinless chicken suprêmes (breast with wing bone left on)

3-4 tbsp plain flour

1 tsp paprika

1 large egg

100g dried breadcrumbs

sunflower oil, for frying

flaky sea salt and pepper

TO SERVE

mashed potatoes

wilted spinach

Method

To make the filling, mix together the butter, garlic, parsley, lemon zest and juice, and some salt and pepper. Shape into two logs and chill until firm but not solid.

Heat the oven to 190°C (gas 5). Make a slit lengthwise in each chicken breast and open out like a book. Lay each flat between two pieces of cling film with the bone pointing away from you and bash with a meat mallet or rolling pin until 5 to 10mm thick. Place a log of butter on each flattened breast 2cm in from the edge then roll up the chicken and secure with cocktail sticks.

Mix the flour, paprika and some salt and pepper together in a shallow bowl. Beat the egg in another shallow bowl. Toss the stuffed chicken breasts in the flour until coated and shake off any excess. Slide the chicken into the beaten egg and turn until covered, then cover each chicken breast with flour and egg once more. Finally, dip the chicken into the breadcrumbs and turn to coat completely, again shaking off any excess.

Pour oil into a medium frying pan to a depth of about 1cm and heat thoroughly. Toss in a small cube of bread to check the temperature – it should sizzle and brown straight away. Lower the chicken breasts carefully 
into the pan and spoon 
some of the hot oil over the top for about 1 minute to seal the crumbs. Turn over to brown the other side, again spooning oil over the top until the crust is golden – this should take a further one or two minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a shallow roasting pan and bake uncovered for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the breasts feel firm when pressed. Remove and drain on paper towel.

Carefully remove the cocktail sticks and serve 
with mashed potato and spinach.

GUINEA FOWL TAGINE

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 guinea fowl a little olive oil

2 carrots, cut into chunks

2 red onions, cut into chunks

6 dried prunes, dates or figs

rind of 1 preserved lemon, cut into strips

1 mint sprig, leaves chopped

harissa, to serve

CHERMOULA

1 large red onion, roughly chopped

1 large garlic clove

1.5cm piece ginger, roughly chopped

100ml olive oil

100ml lemon juice

1/2 tsp Thai fish sauce

1 heaped tsp honey

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground paprika

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp hot chilli powder

1 handful flat-leaf parsley

1 handful coriander

COUSCOUS

100g couscous

1 tsp salt

100g butter, cubed

1 small handful sultanas

Method

The day before cooking, put all the ingredients for the chermoula in a blender and process until smooth. Pour over the bird and marinate in the fridge overnight.

Next day, heat the oven to 220°C (gas 7). Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and brown the bird on all sides over a high heat. Put the carrots, onions and fruit into the tagine and place the guinea fowl on top. Pour in about 400ml water – enough to come 1cm from the top of the tagine base.

Cover and cook in the oven for about 45 minutes, then turn the heat down to 180°C (gas 4) and cook for another 45 minutes.

About 15 minutes before serving, rinse the couscous in cold water and put in a shallow bowl. Season with salt and scatter with the butter and sultanas. Pour on enough boiling water to cover the couscous by about 1cm.

Cover and leave for 10 minutes or until the grains are plump and tender.

Open the tagine at the table and scatter with the preserved lemon and mint. Serve the couscous and harissa separately.

Variation: You can use this recipe for whole chicken, or lamb shanks, but increase the cooking time to three hours. For pigeons, reduce it to one hour.

In each case, lower the temperature halfway through cooking time.

John Torode’s Chicken & Other Birds by John Torode, published by Quadrille Publishing, £9.99. Photography by Jason Lowe