Kai Lao
Laotian Chicken

    •     1 x 1.5 kg (3 lb) roasting chicken
    •     1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    •     2 cloves garlic, crushed
    •     1 tablespoon oil
    •     2 medium onions, finely chopped
    •     250 g (8 oz) mince meat
    •     1/2 teaspoon salt
    •     1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
    •     1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
    •     1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaf
    •     l/2 cup uncooked rice
    •     1 cup thick coconut milk
    •     2 cups thin coconut milk

Directions
Wash and dry chicken well, then rub it inside and out with salt and half the crushed garlic. Heat oil in frying pan, fry remaining garlic and onions with the mince meat. Season with salt, pepper and chilli. When meat has been fried well. add coriander powder, rice and thick coconut milk. Bring to simmering point, then reduce heat,cool mushrooms.

Chop the onion finely. Put the oil in saucepan large enough to hold the amount of liquid. Add onion and fry gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms, coriander and cummin and continue to stir for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper, then cover saucepan, turn heat very low and allow to cook for 10 minutes, lifting lid and stirring two or three times.

Add hot water and stock cubes and bring to the boil. Simmer 10 minutes. Add milk and allow to come to the boil once more, stirring occasionally. Mix cornflour with cold water and add to the soup off the heat, then return to heat and stir constantly until it boils and thickens. Serve immediately, sprinkled with coriander leaves.