Pandan Chicken | Gai Bai Tuey | ไก่ใบเตย

Prepare the Marinade: Wash the cilantro roots and cut into small pieces. Peel the garlic. Add both to mortar and pestle and pound until broken down. Add the white peppercorns and continue to pound until a smooth paste is formed. Add the oyster sauce and mix until well incorporated.

Marinate the Chicken: Cut the chicken into medium-sized chunks, approximately 2 inches square. Combine with the marinade paste, ensuring the chicken is coated evenly. The chicken can be marinated for as short (just until the oil is hot) or as long (overnight in the refrigerator) as you like. The longer it marinates, the stronger the flavors will be.

Wrap the Chicken: Wash your pandan leaves and cut them into approximately 12 inch lengths. Wrap the marinated chicken in the leaves as demonstrated in the pictures above.

Fry the Chicken: Heat canola or another mild-flavored oil in a pot over medium heat until the oil shimmers. It is ready when you stick a chopstick in and bubbles appear around it. Add the pandan-wrapped chicken, one piece at a time, allowing the oil to retain its heat after each addition. Allow the chicken to cook for two to four minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces. The exposed chicken should be golden brown, and the pandan leaves crisp and more golden than green.1

Make the Dipping Sauce: Combine all dipping sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sauce has become slightly thicker. Allow to cool, then add the toasted sesame seeds.

Serve Pandan Chicken: Serve the Pandan Chicken with the sweet soy sauce dip, or with Nam Jim Gai if you prefer. To eat the chicken, unwrap the pandan leaf and then dip the bare chicken into the dipping sauce.2