Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
2 X 175g/6oz chicken breasts, on the bone
1/2 chicken stock cube
400g/14oz canned coconut milk
1 piece galingal or fresh ginger, 2cm/3/4 in long, finely chopped
1 piece lemon grass, 7.5cm/3in long
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp chopped coriander root, or stem
2-3 small red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce
5 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 lime leaves
225g/8oz fresh or cooked prawn (shrimp) tails, peeled and de-veined
juice of 1 lime
4 sprigs coriander, chopped, to garnish
2 spring onions (scallions), green part only, to garnish
4 large red chillies, sliced, to garnish

Thai Chicken and Prawn (Shrimp) Soup

Cover the chicken with water, add stock cube, and simmer for 45 minutes. Slice the meat into strips (discard skin), and return to stock. Add coconut milk and simmer.

Blend the lemon grass, galingal or ginger, garlic, coriander and chillies. Add this to the stock with the fish sauce, sugar, salt and lime leaves. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Just before serving, add the prawns (shrimp) and lime juice. Simmer for 5 minutes. Decorate with the coriander, spring onions (scallions) and chillies.

Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
900g/2lb chicken drumsticks or thighs
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp caraway or cumin seeds
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp paprika
1 piece fresh ginger, 2cm/3/4 in long
3 cloves garlic, crushed
15g/1/2 oz coriander, white root or stem, finely chopped
3 tbsp vegetable oil salt, to season
6-8 lettuce leaves, to serve
1/2 cucumber, cut into strips, to garnish
4 spring onions (scallions), trimmed, to garnish
2 limes, quartered, to garnish

Thai Grilled Chicken

Chop through the narrow end of each drumstick with a heavy knife. Score the chicken pieces deeply to allow the marinade to penetrate.

Set aside in a shallow bowl.

Grind the peppercorns, caraway or cumin seeds and sugar in a pestle and mortar or a food processor. Add the paprika, ginger, garlic,

coriander and oil and grind.

Spread the marinade over the chicken and chill for 6 hours. Cook the chicken under a moderate grill for 20 minutes, turning once. Season,

arrange on lettuce, and garnish.