Coffee and cumin spiced chicken with pineapple and mint salad
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 Tbsp coffee beans
• 1 1/2 Tbsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 Tbsp black peppercorns
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp shrimp paste
• 4 Tbsp honey
• 2 lemons
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp sea-salt flakes
• 800g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 3cm cubes
• Steamed short-grain rice, to serve
SALAD
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 green chillies, finely sliced
• 60ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sea-salt flakes
• 5 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
• 1 large pineapple, trimmed, sliced lengthways into wedges
• 1 cup coriander sprigs, torn
• 1 cup mint leaves, torn
Note: Allow 30 minutes chilling.
Method
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Put coffee beans in a mortar and finely grind using a pestle. Add cumin seeds and peppercorns and finely grind. Add garlic, shrimp paste and ó of the honey and smash into a paste. Stir in juice of 1 of the lemons, oil and salt.
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Put chicken in a large ceramic bowl. Add coffee mixture and rub into chicken using your hands. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to infuse flavours.
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Thread chicken cubes onto 12 small metal skewers and put on a large plate. Cover and set aside.
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To make salad, whisk honey, pepper, chillies, oil, vinegar, salt and 1/2 of the lime leaves in a large bowl. Add pineapple, coriander and mint. Toss until combined. Cover and refrigerate.
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Heat a chargrill pan over a medium heat. Cut remaining lemon in half and put each half cut side down on grill. Cook for 5 minutes or until charred and caramelised. Put 6 of the skewers on grill and cook for 10 minutes or until charred on all sides and cooked through. Transfer to a large plate and cover to keep warm. Cook remaining skewers. Brush all skewers with remaining honey. Arrange on serving plates with steamed rice and pineapple salad. Sprinkle with remaining lime leaf. Serve with charred lemon on the side.
