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Manok pansoh
Bamboo-cooked chicken
Manok pansoh — Iban chicken cooked in bamboo with lemongrass and tapioca leaves (oven method)
Iban longhouses in Sarawak cook manok pansoh for Gawai, the harvest festival at the start of June: chicken pieces packed into lengths of fresh bamboo with lemongrass, ginger, shallots and tapioca leaves, plugged with leaves and leaned over an open fire. No stock or water goes in; the chicken steams in its own juices, which turn into a clear, herby broth that tastes faintly of green bamboo. At home a lidded casserole wrapped in banana leaf gets you very close. Serve it with plain rice, and with the broth spooned over. Chef's tip: bruise the lemongrass and ginger hard with a pestle before packing; with no added liquid, crushed aromatics are what flavour the juices.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksbone-in, cut into small pieces
- 4 stalks lemongrassbruised and cut into 5 cm lengths
- 1 ¾ oz fresh gingersliced and bruised
- 1 oz galangalsliced
- 8 shallotslightly crushed
- 6 cloves garliccrushed
- 4 bird's eye chilliesbruised
- 7 oz tapioca (cassava) leavesfresh or frozen; or kale or spinach (see step 1)
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 banana leavesor a sheet of baking paper
- 2 fresh bamboo sections (optional)about 60 cm, if cooking over a fire
- 1 turmeric leaf (optional)shredded
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Tapioca leaves contain natural cyanide-forming compounds and must never be eaten raw. Boil fresh or frozen 7 oz tapioca (cassava) leaves in plenty of water for 10 minutes, drain, squeeze dry and chop coarsely. If using kale or spinach instead, just wash and chop.
10 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan).
Step 3: In a bowl, toss 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks with 2 tsp salt, 4 stalks lemongrass, 1 ¾ oz fresh ginger, 1 oz galangal, 8 shallots, 6 cloves garlic, 4 bird's eye chillies and the turmeric leaf if using. Use a separate board for the raw chicken and wash it straight after.
Step 4: Line a heavy casserole with 2 banana leaves, glossy side up. Layer in the chicken and aromatics alternately with the tapioca leaves, pressing down firmly. Add no water.
Step 5: Fold the leaves over the top, cover with a tight lid (or a sheet of foil and then the lid) to trap the steam, and cook in the oven for 60 minutes.
60 minStep 6: Lift the lid: the chicken should be sitting in plenty of clear juices. Check the largest piece reaches 165°F (165 °F) near the bone and the juices run clear; if not, return for 10 minutes. Opening the pot too often during cooking is a common mistake; every peek lets out the steam that does the cooking.
10 minStep 7: Taste the juices and add a pinch of salt if needed. Serve the chicken, leaves and broth over rice.
Step 8: For the traditional fire method: pack the mixture into the 2 fresh bamboo sections, plug the open end with a twist of tapioca or banana leaf and lean it over a wood fire at a 45° angle, turning every 10 minutes, for 50–60 minutes until the outside is charred and the chicken reaches 165°F. Tip it out carefully; the steam inside is very hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- Protein
- 44 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does manok pansoh take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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