Semur teagrass and fresh ginger chicken

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp pepperberries
• ½ tsp dried saltbush flakes
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 4 teagrass stalks (see Note)
• 3 cm x 4 cm young ginger, sliced
• 150 g thin rice noodles
• 1 cup picked warrigal greens leaves
• ½ cup spring onion, roughly chopped
• 1 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
• Steamed rice, to serve

Instructions

1. Joint the chicken by separating the breasts, wings, drumsticks and thighs into individual pieces, you should have 8 pieces of bone-on chicken.
2. Heat a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil, then add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the chicken pieces (don’t crowd the pan!) and brown on all sides for 3-5 minutes (you may need to do this in batches).
3. Stir through the pepperberries, saltbush and soy sauce, turning the chicken to coat, for 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, then add the teagrass stalks and ginger to the pan. Bring the heat to medium to medium-high, then cook for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and falls off the bone.
4. Once the chicken is tender, place the rice noodles in a medium bowl, then pour over boiling water and allow to stand for 3 minutes. Drain in a fine mesh strainer, then transfer to the semur chicken with the warrigal greens and spring onion. Cook for a further 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.
5. Sprinkle the semur chicken with coriander, then serve with steamed rice on the side.

Note

• Teagrass is also known as Australian native lemongrass, or known by its scientific name, cymbopogon ambiguous.

Watch how to make this recipe on Island Echoes with Nornie Bero.