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Raising Expectations/Not Blood Sugar

A lightly spiced and wonderfully flavored Thai chicken dish that’s high in protein, the cancer-protective B vitamin, and niacin. Not only does it taste incredible, the presentation in this dish is something that will wow your guests.

Thai Chicken in Banana Leaf ... { Serves 6 }

INGREDIENTS :

• 1 pkg. banana leaves, fresh or frozen (if frozen, allow 1 hour or more to thaw) - OR tin foil / parchment paper if you cannot find the leaves
• 12 oz. boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 bell pepper, red or green, cut into bite-size pieces
• 3/4 cup pineapple tidbits, canned or fresh (drained if canned)
• handful of fresh basil leaves (preferably Thai basil, which has purple stems, sweet basil can be used as a substitute)
• handful of fresh coriander leaves
• 1/4 cup dry shredded baking coconut (unsweetened preferable)

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MARINADE :

• 1/2 can thick or good quality coconut milk (prefer Thai brand. Do not shake the can before opening. Milk may have separated. Remove “thin” portion from top and save for the rice. Use lower “thick” portion for the marinade)
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, cut into slivers with scissors (discard any hard stems) or lime zest (often found in frozen food section of Asian food store)
• 1 red or green chili (de-seeded if you prefer a milder dish)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb-size piece ginger
• 1 tsp. lite soy sauce
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander, including the stems and roots
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai Purple basil (regular sweet basil decent substitute)

PREPARATION:

1. Pulse all marinade ingredients in a food processor
   
2. Combine marinade with the chicken chunks. Put in non-reactive bowl or zipper bag. Set aside for a few minutes or up to 8 hours
3. Toast coconut flakes in a frying pan over med-high heat. Be careful! The flakes go from light brown to burnt in a hurry. Watch closely. Cool and set aside for later
4. Cut banana leaves (or foil or parchment) into aprox. 1 foot square segments. Now take out the banana leaves, or tin foil/parchment paper
5. Start making packets. Scoop aprox ¼ of the chicken mix into the center of the leaves. Wrap like a package and secure with a toothpick. If using foil or paper, make sure the seam side is down when baking
6. Place packets on a baking sheet with sides or a 9x13 pan. Spray bottom with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes Serve packet on the place, opened, and topped with your fresh herbs and toasted coconut!