Malaysian-Style Coconut Chicken Thigh With Rice

Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Cut your cucumber in half lengthways and 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

Boil half a kettle

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

Add your chicken thighs and sprinkle over half of your ground turmeric (you'll use the rest later!) with a pinch of salt and pepper

Cook for 3 min on each side or until lightly browned

While the chicken is cooking, bash your lemongrass stalk[s] with a rolling pin, remove the tough outer layers and discard, then chop the softer inner core[s] finely

Peel and roughly chop your shallot[s]

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

Add your soy sauce, ginger & garlic paste and a pinch of sugar

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

Add the Malaysian-style spice paste to the chicken and cook for 5-6 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the tamarind paste with 100ml [130ml] [170ml] boiled water and cook, covered, for 6-8 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!)

Meanwhile, chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!), then add it to the pan and cook for 1 min further

Using two forks, pull the cooked chicken into big chunks – this is your Malaysian-style coconut chicken thigh