Lime and lemongrass chicken With Mango Salsa

Warning: This is so good it might actually make you cry!



8 organic chicken thighs, boned, skinned and cut in half
2tsp sesame oil
grated zest of 2 limes (preferably organic, if not, scrub and wash well before grating)
2 large fresh red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
2 kaffir lime leaves, sliced
2 lemongrass stalks, finely chopped
1tbsp palm or brown sugar
5cm/2inch piece of fresh galangal or ginger, grated
2tsp ground cumin
1tbsp lime juice
2tsp tamarind paste
250ml/8oz coconut milk (shake the tin well before opening)
250ml/8oz chicken stock

For the salsa
1 ripe mango or papaya
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
2tbsp lime juice
1tbsp fish sauce
1tsp sugar
thick creamy yogurt to serve

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium high heat and when it is hot throw in the chicken pieces. Stir fry until golden brown on both sides, 5-10 minutes. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside.
Add the lime zest, chili, lime leaves, lemongrass, sugar, galangal or ginger, cumin, lime juice, and tamarind to the wok or pan and stir fry for 2 minutes. It should smell overwhelmingly delicious. Put the chicken back into the pan, stirring to coat thoroughly with the flavorings, and pour in the coconut milk and stock. Simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid is reduced a little, about 30 min. There should still be plenty of tangy sauce. Taste to check the seasoning and add more fish sauce if it needs salt.

Make the salsa by combining the mango or papaya, onion, mint, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar.

Serve the chicken with this fruity salsa, the yogurt and plenty of rice to soak up the delicious sauce.

Note: Can be made a day ahead; let it cool completely before covering and chilling. The salsa can also be made a day in advance

This one came from Favourite Recipes Books For Cooks. Neil, if you are reading this THANK YOU! And you have to try this one!

I have never really been a pro-fruit salsa kind of girl, but this recipe has changed my views entirely. The mango salsa was so good! The balance of the fruit and the red onion was perfect, and though fish sauce seems like an odd touch, it worked perfectly to give it a more exotic flavor.

The chicken was the most amazing thing. The sauce was out of control tangy with out being over the top, or painful. The combination of the two with the yogurt to hold it all together was really perfect, seriously, there is nothing that could have made this dish better. I could eat this every day.

Everyone who reads this should really eat this!