Malaysian-Style Coconut Chicken Breast With Basmati Rice

Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air, then heat a large wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Add your chicken breast portion[s] and sprinkle over half your ground turmeric (you'll use the rest later!) and a pinch of salt and pepper, then cook for 3 min on each side or until golden

While the chicken is cooking, cut your cucumber in half lengthways and then slice finely

Add the sliced cucumber to a bowl with your rice vinegar, 1 tsp [1 1/2 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 your basmati rice and 300ml [390ml] [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 your lemongrass stalk[s] with a rolling pin, cut down the middle lengthways, remove the tough outer layers and chop the softer inner stem[s] finely

Peel and roughly chop your shallot[s], garlic and ginger

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

Put everything into a food processor (can't handle the heat? Go easy on the chilli!)

Add your ground almonds and the remaining ground turmeric to the food processor with 2 tbsp [3 tbsp] [4 tbsp] vegetable oil

Add your soy sauce and a pinch of sugar

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

Boil half a kettle, then add the spice paste to the chicken and cook for 3-4 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add your tamarind paste with 100ml [130ml] [170ml] boiled water and cook, covered, for 8-10 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!)

Meanwhile, chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Once done, add the chopped creamed coconut and cook for 1 min further – this is your Malaysian-style coconut chicken breast