Piaparan pairs tender simmered chicken with a turmeric-coconut coating and a light coconut broth served alongside it.
1 hour 25 minutes · Serves 6
Ingredients for Piaparan
4 stalks spring onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons ginger paste
2 bird's eye chilies, finely chopped
1 1/2 kg chicken legs
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 red onions, thinly sliced
1 cup coconut milk
6 cups water
1 chayote, sliced
3 stalks spring onions, chopped
Oil, as needed
Salt, to taste
2 cups shredded coconut
2 teaspoons turmeric
1/2 green capsicum, sliced
1/2 red capsicum, sliced
How to cook Piaparan
1.Make the palapa by pounding the finely chopped spring onions, ginger paste, and bird's eye chilies in a mortar until paste-like; set aside.
2.Heat oil in a pot over medium heat, then saute the garlic and red onions until softened and aromatic. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the palapa and cook briefly until fragrant.
3.Add the chicken legs and salt, turning the pieces until lightly browned on all sides. Pour in the water, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes.
4.Lift the chicken from the pot and set it aside. Add the chayote to the broth and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the coconut milk and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the chopped spring onions and turn off the heat.
5.While the soup finishes, heat oil in a wok and saute the remaining palapa. Add the turmeric, shredded coconut, red capsicum, and green capsicum, stir-frying until the coconut is evenly yellow and fragrant.
6.Add the cooked chicken to the coconut mixture and turn to coat well. Cover the wok and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, until the coating clings to the chicken and the meat is heated through.
7.Serve the coconut-coated chicken on a platter with the coconut-chayote soup on the side.
