Crispy Lemongrass Chicken
with green mango and papaya som tum, served with a sweet chilli sauce
A popular Thai street dish
South East Asia is renowned for its assortment of delicious street cuisine. Thailand is one destination that offers a balanced combination of salty, sweet, sour and spicy. Today I leave my friend Shannon Smerdon, cook up a popular Thai street dish, Crispy Lemongrass Chicken served with fresh som tum green papaya salad. Now you can add the flavours of Thai cuisine onto your menu at home.
people
minutes
Summary
- 2 pieces (or 400 gr.) chicken thigh, boneless and skin on
- cooking oil to fry

Chicken Marinade
- 2 pieces large red chillies
- 10 cloves garlic
- 4 pieces shallot
- 4 stalks lemongrass
- 1 inch fresh turmeric, peeled
- A pinch of white pepper
- A pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
Chicken Batter
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1 cup tapioca flour
- 1½ – 2 cups sparkling water
- ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- A pinch of salt
Som Tum
- 2 pieces small green chilli (or as desired)
- 2 cloves garlic
- A pinch of salt
- Half of ripe tomato, sliced
- 1 piece apple eggplant, sliced
- 1 teaspoon fried dried shrimp
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanut, crushed
- 2 tablespoons palm sugar syrup
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
- Fresh lime juice (from 1 piece lime)
- 1 cup green papaya, julienned
- 1 cup green mango, julienned

Som Tum is one of my favourite salad. Influenced by the Laotian tribes of Northern Thailand, I use to reinvent it in my restaurants. A suggestion, for a quick fresh lunch: Just add a boiled egg, some shredded roasted chicken, and you have a complete, tasty and colorful meal !
Sweet Chilli Sauce
- 4 pieces large red chillies
- 2 pieces red bird’s eye chillies
- 2 cloves garlic
- 100 ml rice wine vinegar
- 100 ml Heinz vinegar
- A pinch of salt
- ½ cup sugar

To make the sweet chilli sauce, roughly blend your large red chillies, red bird’s eye chillies and garlic.
Then combine it with the rest of the ingredients in the pan, bring to the boil and simmer until thickened approximately 15 – 20
Garnish
2 coriander leaves sprigs 2 leaves Romaine lettuce 2 leaves Radicchio lettuce 2 cucumber sticks 1 lime wedge 1 teaspoon large red chilli, julienned A pinch of fried garlic