Santhi Muniandy-Deisch’s Zen Hot Dish (East meets West) Recipe
A perfectly seasoned chicken hotdish with a twist.
Ingredients
For Chicken Marinade
1 lb ground chicken
1tsp turmeric
1tsp curry powder
For Rendang Paste
2-inch fresh ginger
2inch fresh galangal
3 stalks of fresh lemongrass (bruised and chopped)
3-4 shallots
4 cloves garlic
2 fresh red chili (remove seeds)
2 vine tomatoes (chopped)
For Rendang Sauce
1 red onion (diced)
1 cinnamon stick
2-star anise
4 Kefir lime leaves
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 pandan leaf
1 cup unsalted chicken broth
2 tbsp canola oil
Rendang Paste (see rendang paste recipe)
Salt to taste (regular not rock salt)
For Roasted Eggplant
1 medium eggplant (cubed)
1tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp canola oil to coat
For Tumeric Rice
1 cup basmati rice
1 tsp turmeric
2 cups water
For Pickled Fritters
1/2 cup plain white flour
1/2 diced red onion
1tsp salt
1tsp turmeric powder
10-12 sweet n spicy pickled butter chips (diced)-I use the Famous Dave’s brand
2 tbsp pickle juice
1/4 cup water, more if needed.
1/2 cup oil for frying
For Roasted corn
1 cup frozen corn
1 tbsp butter
For Lime Garlic Crema
Juice from 1/2 lime
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 clove garlic (minced)
salt to taste
Other ingredients
Banana leaf
1/2 cup parsley (chopped)
1 bag frozen tater tots
Tools
Mixing bowl(x3)
Food processor
Knife
Spatula
Cutting board
Sheet pan (x2)
9×13 casserole dish
1 medium size pot with a lid
1 pan
1 stew pot
Squeeze bottle
Liquid measuring cup
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Tasting spoon (a dozen if not more)
Slotted ladle to use for frying
Cast iron skillet for frying (Santhi will bring hers)
Ladle (x2)
Forks (x2)
Plates (x3)
Bowls (x3)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 450F. Once the oven is up to temp on a baking sheet, cook tater tots as instructed on the bag.
2. Marinate ground chicken with turmeric and curry powder.
3. Cube eggplant into bite size. Coat with turmeric, salt, and oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 450F for 10 minutes.
4. To make rendang paste, first bruise lemongrass, this can be done with the back of a knife or rolling pin. Bruising releases aroma and essential oils. Chop up. Toss in a food processor along with shallots, ginger, galangal, red chili, and tomatoes. Add 1/4 water. Blend on high until it becomes a paste.
5. To make rendang sauce, heat the stew pot. Add 1 tbsp oil. Add 1 cinnamon stick, star anise. Add red onion and saute until onions are soft. Add rendang paste. Cook the paste for 2 minutes. Add ground chicken, lime leaves, pandan leaves (pre-tie in a knot), and coconut milk. Stir on medium-high heat. Add broth and salt to taste, and let simmer, stirring occasionally.
6. To cook turmeric rice, add 2 cups water and 1 tsp turmeric. First, cook on high with the lid for 6-7 minutes. Once the rice starts to boil, turn the heat to low, uncover the lid slightly cook for another 5 minutes. remove from heat.
7. Heat a saute pan. Add 1 cup frozen corn on high heat, and stir add butter.
8. In a 9×13 pan, place banana leaves. Add cooked rice. Next layer with rendang sauce. Place roasted eggplant on top, roasted corn, and tater tots. Bake in oven at 350F, for 10 minutes.
9. Heat cast iron with 1/2 cup oil, depending on the size of your cast iron, use more oil if needed. oil should be about an inch high. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, turmeric, diced pickles, pickle juice, and water. Consistency should be like pancake batter. Once the oil is at 350F, drop teaspoons of batter, cooking until slightly brown on one side, flip over and fry for another minute. Make sure not to overcrowd the skillet.
10. For lime garlic crema, mix sour cream, heavy cream, salt, garlic powder, and minced garlic. Whisk vigorously. Pour into a squeeze bottle.
11.Once the hot dish is out, add pickled fritters, and chopped parsley for garnish and drizzle with lime garlic crema.
Featured in season 2, episode 4 of the Great Minnesota Recipe.
