makes 8 servings

This wonderful salad was inspired by using classic South-east Asian ingredients. Traditionally, sambal is made with dried shrimp paste but here we substituted Western anchovy paste to give the salad a tangy, fragrant taste.

Salad:
1 whole chicken, about 3 lbs. (1.5 kg), halved, skin removed
1 stalk lemon grass, sliced
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. (5 mL) salt
1/4 tsp. (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) vegetable oil
6 oz. (180 g) Chinese long beans, sliced diagonally into 2" (5 cm) lengths, blanched
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) lime juice
2-3 large red chilies, seeded, finely chopped
3 Kaffir lime leaves or basil leaves, finely shredded
1/2 c. (125 mL) firmly packed Thai basil leaves, washed, dried*
1 c. (250 mL) fresh pineapple chunks
Fresh limes, halved, for garnish
Sambal Dressing:
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) vegetable oil
5 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6-8 red chilies, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) anchovy paste
1 small tomato, finely chopped
1-1/2 Tbsp. (23 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. (3 mL) salt
1/4 tsp. (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper

*Substitute regular basil leaves for Thai basil, if necessary.

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Prick the chicken all over to allow the marinade to infuse. In a small food processor, combine lemon grass, garlic, salt, pepper and a small amount of the vegetable oil. Process to a smooth paste. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and mix in the remaining oil. Coat the chicken all over with the paste. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. When cool, shred the chicken by hand and set aside. While chicken is cooking, make the sambal dressing: Heat oil in a small pan and add the shallots, garlic, chilies, anchovy paste and tomato. Stir-fry over medium-low heat until fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Add sugar, salt and pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent mixture from sticking. Cool and process coarsely in a blender or food processor before using. To assemble salad: Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl and add the sambal dressing. Toss well then add the blanched beans, lime juice, chilies, lime leaves, basil and pineapple. Toss again and taste for additional salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with a garnish of fresh lime halves.

Calories: 403; Protein 25.5 g; Carbohydrate 12 g;
Fibre 1.5 g; Fat 28 g/serving

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