Malaysian-Style Coconut Meat-Free Chicken with Pickled Cucumber

ingredients

• 1 fresh lemongrass
• 130g basmati rice
• 50g solid creamed coconut
• 15g fresh root ginger
• 25g blanched almonds †
• 165g naked glory deli readybites
• 15g tamarind paste
• 30ml rice vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves
• 15ml soy sauce †
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 red chilli
• 2 shallots

method

Add the basmati rice and 300ml [600ml] cold water to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving

While the rice is cooking, bash the lemongrass stalk[s] with a rolling pin, cut down the middle lengthways, remove the tough outer layers and chop the softer inner core[s] finely

Peel and roughly chop the shallots, garlic and ginger

Chop half of the red chilli[es] roughly, and finely slice the rest (save these for garnish!)

Put everything into a food processor

Add the blanched almonds and half the ground turmeric (you’ll use the rest later!) to the food processor with 2 tbsp [4 tbsp] vegetable oil

Add the soy sauce and a pinch of sugar

Pulse until you’re left with a slightly chunky paste – this is your spice paste

Boil a kettle, then heat a large wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid), with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Cut the meat-free chicken into smaller, bite-sized pieces

Add the meat-free chicken pieces to the pan and sprinkle over the remaining ground turmeric and a pinch of salt and pepper

Cook for 2-3 min or until warmed through and starting to brown

While the meat-free chicken is cooking, cut the cucumber[s] in half lengthways and then slice finely

Add the sliced cucumber to a bowl with the rice vinegar, 1 tsp [2 tsp] sugar and a generous pinch of salt

Stir it all together and set aside until serving – this is your quick-pickled cucumber

Add the spice paste to themeat-free chicken and cook for 2-3min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the tamarind paste with 200ml [300ml] boiled water and cook for a further 2-3 min

Chop the creamed coconut roughly (if required!), then add it to the pan and cook for 1 min further – this is your Malaysian-style coconut meat-free chicken

Serve the Malaysian-style coconut meat-free chicken with the cooked rice and quick-pickled cucumber to the side

Garnish with the reserved sliced chilli rounds (can’t handle the heat? Go easy!)

Enjoy!