INGREDIENTS

Chicken
10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.1 kg), excess fat removed
30 large double kaffir lime leaves
10 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
vegetable oil for cooking
nuoc cham, to serve

Marinade
1 tablespoon very finely chopped fresh turmeric or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 large pinch of ground turmeric
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar
2-1⁄2 tablespoons fish sauce
10 kaffir lime leaves, central vein removed, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground white pepper

TO MAKE

For the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until a coarse paste forms. Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle.

Cut each chicken thigh into three even-sized pieces crossways. Combine in a bowl with the paste and use your hands to coat the chicken well. Cover and refrigerate for two hours or overnight.

Wrap each piece of chicken in a double lime leaf, threading each piece onto two skewers as you wrap them, taking care to secure both the leaf and the chicken. Thread three pieces of chicken onto each double skewer.

Heat a barbecue or chargrill pan to medium. Brush the wrapped chicken pieces all over with oil and cook for eight minutes, turning occasionally, or until the leaves are charred and the chicken is just cooked through. Serve with the nuoc cham for dipping.

Edited extract and images from EAST by Leanne Kitchen and Antony Suvalko. Published by Hardie Grant Books.