Chicken & Prawn Xim Xim
Andy Bates
Somewhere between a stew and a curry, with fragrant flavours, this dish is reminiscent of Thailand and Africa. The name Xim Xim means stew in some African dialects and almost certainly originates from the African continent. This dish is huge in flavour, packs a strong punch and is a real crowd-pleaser. Serve with boiled rice.
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
- 4 chicken thighs, cut into 2-3cm chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- Thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, ground
- ½ cup of roasted cashews
- 80-100g dried shrimps, ground in a food processor – see Cook’s notes
- 2 teaspoons tomato purée
- 600ml hot chicken stock
- 200g king prawns, shells and heads removed and deveined
- 50g creamed coconut, grated
- Small bunch fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
METHOD
In a bowl, combine the chicken, garlic, lime juice and zest, cover and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in the non-stick frying pan on a low to medium heat. Cook the chicken until sealed all over and golden.
Add the onions and cook for around 5 minutes or until soft but not coloured.
Next add the chilli, ginger and turmeric and fry for a further 2 minutes.
Add the nuts, dried shrimps and tomato purée. Stir to combine then add the chicken stock. Cook for 20 minutes to a thick, stew-like consistency.
Finally, add the prawns and creamed coconut and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Garnish with the coriander and spring onions and serve with boiled rice.
Cook's Notes
- Dried shrimps can be ordered online or bought from Asian supermarkets. Alternatively use 1 tablespoon shrimp paste or a few dashes of fish sauce.
- Large, cooked prawns can be used instead of raw, if preferred.