Ingredients

• 20g/¾oz fresh root ginger
• peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• cut lengthways into thick julienne strips
• 2 poussins
• 350/12oz each
• wishbones removed
• 200g/7oz broccoli florets
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp grapeseed oil
• vegetable oil
• to deep-fry
• 110g/4oz rocket leaves or flat-leaf parsley
• 200g/7oz fragrant Thai long-grain rice
• to serve

Directions

• Put 1.5 litres/2½ pints of water into a steamer pan
• salt very lightly
• cover and bring to the boil. Meanwhile
• mix the ginger with the lemongrass and place inside the poussins (they don’t need trussing). Put them in the top of the steamer
• cover and steam for 15-20 minutes.
• Scatter over the broccoli florets
• and cook for another two minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a bowl
• cover with cling film and keep warm.
• Cut off the legs and breasts from the poussins. Wrap the breasts in foil and leave to rest in a warm place. Reserve the legs.
• Break up the carcasses and put them in the cooking water in the base of the steamer
• together with the ginger and lemongrass mixture (from inside the poussins). Simmer for five minutes
• add the blended cornflour and cook
• stirring
• for one minute
• then strain through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Keep the sauce warm.
• Heat the grapeseed oil in a frying pan. Add the poussin legs
• skin-side down
• and fry over a medium heat until the skin is slightly crunchy and a beautiful light golden-brown.
• Heat the oil for deep-frying in a suitable pan to about 160C/320F. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Make sure the rocket (or parsley) is completely dry. Put it into the hot oil and deep-fry until very crisp
• stirring with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. If the rocket isn’t as crisp as it should be
• reheat the oil and fry it for another 2-3 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper and salt lightly.
• Steam the rice according to packet instructions.
• To serve
• pile the hot rice on a serving platter and arrange the poussin breasts and legs on top. Scatter on little heaps of broccoli and rocket
• and serve at once
• handing the sauce around separately.