Adapted from Jamie Oliver
Yield: serves 2-4
Ingredients:
- 3 sticks fresh lemongrass
- 3 cloves garlic
- 10cm piece of fresh ginger
- 2 red chilis
- 3 green onions
- 1 large bunch coriander
- 80ml coconut cream
- White wine vinegar
- Fish sauce
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 150g brown or wild rice
- 1 medium/large butternut squash*
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Chopped peanuts
- 1 lime
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. With the flat of a large knife, smash the lemongrass and remove outer layers. Peel garlic and ginger and trim the chili peppers and green onion. Roughly chop all the vegetables and blend with ¾ of the coriander, the coconut cream, and vinegar and fish sauce to taste (start with 1 tbsp). Add water as you blend until the laksa paste becomes easily spoonable.
- In a shallow ovenproof casserole dish, crumble the chicken stock cube into 700ml of boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add rice into this mixture.
- Slice squash into rounds (horizontally) and scoop out seeds.** Rub the laksa paste into the squash, then place on top of rice and drizzle sesame oil over the squash before putting into oven. You may not use all the laksa paste – that’s okay.*** Bake for 90 minutes or until golden.
- Just before squash and rice is finished cooking, chop peanuts if needed and lightly toast on the stovetop. When ready to serve, top the laksa bake with toasted peanuts, lime wedges, and the rest of the fresh coriander.
Notes:
*Can substitute or add chicken thighs to this recipe instead of making it as a vegetarian dish. To use chicken, remove the skin then treat in the same way as the squash.
**Keep the seeds, then season and roast them for a snack!! Can also use roasted seeds to top the final dish.
***Freeze any leftover laksa paste for future use – seal in an airtight container and leave in freezer for up to 3 months.