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Try this semur chicken recipe from recipe author Nonie Bero. This recipe comes from Nonie Bero's book Mabu Mabu by Nornie Bero (£22, Hardie Grant).

Recipe author Nornie Bero says: "Semur is a hearty staple dish in which a whole chicken is cooked in a thick soy broth with vermicelli noodles. The Asian flavours of lemongrass, soy and chilli feature in many Torres Strait Island dishes, influenced by the multiculturalism in the Straits."

This is a recipe that Nornie shared as part of her guide to Torres Strait cuisine. Check it out to learn about the diverse multicultural dishes and ingredients from these islands, including namas and wattleseed scones.

  • 1.5kg whole chicken
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 onion
    sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic
    minced
  • 10cm piece ginger
    peeled and finely sliced
  • 2 lemongrass stalks
    crushed and chopped into 5cm pieces
  • 1 tbsp chilli paste
  • 250ml soy sauce
  • 750ml dark beer (preferably Guinness) or vegetable stock
  • 1⁄2 tsp whole black peppercorns
  • 250g vermicelli noodles
  • 120g spring onions
    chopped
  • 250g pak choi or swiss chard
    sliced
  • cooked rice
    to serve

Nutrition:

  • kcal439
  • fat17.3g
  • saturates3.5g
  • carbs35.9g
  • sugars9.6g
  • fibre2.4g
  • protein28.4g
  • salt4.7g

Method

  • step 1

    Joint the chicken into large, chunky pieces (leave on the bone). Heat the oil in a large pot over a high heat and brown the chicken, turning it with tongs until the pieces are golden all over. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and chilli paste, and continue to cook for a few minutes until the onion is browned.

  • step 2

    Add the soy and cook for 10-15 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium, add the beer and peppercorns, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and just falling off the bone. When it is ready, tip the noodles into a heatproof bowl, cover with just-boiled water and let stand until the noodles are transparent. Drain and add to the pot with the chicken and vegetables.

  • step 3

    Add the spring onions and greens, then cook for 10 minutes. Serve with rice in bowls.

This semur chicken recipe is an extract from Mabu Mabu by Nornie Bero (£22, Hardie Grant). Photographs by Armelle Habib.

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