GROWING up in Bangkok, Mrs Forest Leong remembers her chef father coming back from work and whipping up meals for the family.
He would always get her to help out in the kitchen and that was how her interest in cooking started.
It was only natural that Mrs Leong, 37, pursued her culinary interest. She later studied at the Hotel & Tourism Institution Thailand in Bangkok.
She started working in Novotel Bangkok hotel in Siam Square when it opened in 1988, and that was where she met Singaporean chef Sam Leong, who is now corporate chef and director of kitchens of the Tung Lok group here. He was then an assistant chef at the hotel.
They married in 1990 and she came to Singapore about 14 years ago.
She started giving culinary classes last year at the request of friends who liked what she cooked. She teaches at her home in Jurong and in several community centres.
While her recipes are authentic Thai, she has modified some to suit Singaporeans' tastebuds.
Her cookbook written early this year, Cooking Classics: Thailand, which is out in bookstores, has 42 recipes ranging from seafood to salad. It is published by Marshall Cavendish.
The fragrant roasted lemongrass chicken with a savoury lemony twist is one of her favourite recipes.
The idea of baking lemongrass with chicken came naturally to her because it is a popular ingredient in Thai cooking.
She says she must have done the dish at least 100 times over three years to perfect the recipe, with her two teenage sons, aged 16 and 14, giving her feedback.
Recalling how she came up with the final recipe, she says that she at first tried bashing the lemongrass stalk and baking the chicken with it but the lemongrass fragrance did not come through.
Then she tried slicing the lemongrass. But each time, the slices would cook too quickly and get burnt but the chicken would not be fully cooked.
After much trial and error, she came up with a dish that she and her two boys are happy with - roasted chicken that has a strong enough hint of lemongrass and is cooked just right so it remains juicy.
Cooking Classics: Thailand is available at major bookstores for $22.50 (without GST).
Roasted lemongrass chicken
(Gai ob ta khai)
Serves four
INGREDIENTS 4 chicken thighs
3 stalks lemongrass, bruised (to be used for brushing thighs with oil)
2 Tbs cooking oil
Marinade 4 stalks lemongrass, ends trimmed and bruised
1 Tbs dark soy sauce
1 Tbs light soy sauce
2 Tbs oyster sauce
1 Tbs fish sauce
125ml water
Garnish (optional) Cooking oil for deep-frying
2 stalks lemongrass, ends trimmed, finely sliced and fried
METHOD 1. Prepare this dish a day ahead or least 3 to 4 hours before serving.
2. Chop lemongrass finely. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add lemongrass and ingredients for marinade and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover saucepan with a lid and leave until completely cool.
3. When marinade is cool, transfer to a mixing bowl. Place chicken in to steep in the marinade. Leave for 3 to 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
4. Preheat oven at 220 deg C.
5. Arrange chicken thighs on a baking tray. Dip bruised lemongrass stalks in oil and brush chicken thighs. Place thighs in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, prepare garnish if desired. Heat oil for deep-frying, then deep-fry finely sliced lemongrass until crisp and golden brown. Set aside to drain well.
7. Remove chicken thighs from oven and place on a serving plate. Drain drippings from baking tray and serve as a dipping sauce. Serve immediately, garnished with deep-fried lemongrass, if using.
