Vanuatu – Lap Lap
The gravy ended up covering more of the chicken than I would have liked for presenting. The baked taro creates a tasty cake that works well with the spiced chicken and vegetables. This dish required a lot of elbow grease grating the taro. In hind sight I should have used my food processor instead of a box grater. Don’t get me wrong, it was very good but I was too pooped to enjoy it. My wife really liked the taro cake, but she’s carb whore so that’s a given 😀
Ingredients
BASE
2 large squares banana leaf
5 cups grated taro
11/2 cups coconut milk
2 cups cooked island cabbage, squeezed dry (substitute: spinach)
4 small tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper
CHICKEN
1 small whole chicken (about 1 kg)
juice of 1 lemon or lime
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon chilli flakes or powder
sea salt
COCONUT SAUCE
1 teaspoon coconut oil (substitute: vegetable oil)
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons thinly sliced ginger
2 lime or lemon leaves (optional)
1/2 cup flour
2 cups coconut milk
2 chillies, whole
1/2 cup roughly chopped spring onions
salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Soften two pieces of banana leaf in hot water. Lay one in an oiled casserole dish. Mix the grated taro with half a cup of the coconut milk. Spread the mixture evenly on the leaf to make a layer about 5 cm thick. Chop the island cabbage and place it in the center of the taro mix. Surround it with the halved tomatoes, cut side up. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the remaining cup of coconut milk over the the whole. Cover with the second softened piece of banana leaf. Set the taro cake aside while you prepare the chicken.
Rinse the chicken well and drizzle with the citrus juice. Place it in a mixing bowl with the oil and all off the spices. Coat well and transfer to a roasting pan. Roast the chicken and the taro cake at the same time for one hour. Baste the chicken with pan juices from time to time, and take the banana leaf cover off the taro cake for the last 20 minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile, make the coconut sauce. Heat the coconut oil in a heavy pot with the garlic and ginger. Add the citrus leaves, if using, and cook a little more. Add the flour and cook for four or five minutes to make a light roux. Pour in the coconut milk, add the chillies and spring onion and whisk well. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring, to thicken slightly.
Take the chicken and the taro cake from the oven. Let the chicken sit for a few minutes. Cut the chicken into serving-size pieces and place on the taro cake. Season the coconut sauce with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Take your chicken lap lap to the table and drizzle with coconut sauce. Serve hot.
Marty Made It 