Gai Hor Bai Toey
These pandan-wrapped chicken parcels are deeply aromatic, juicy, and lightly caramelized from the marinade. When unwrapped, they release a sweet grassy fragrance from the pandan, paired beautifully with a glossy sweet-salty dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Chicken marinade
- 300 gboneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into 10-12 bite-size pieces
- 40 mlcoconut milk
- 15 mlfish sauce
- 15 mloyster sauce
- 10 mllight soy sauce
- 5 mlsesame oil
- 10 ggarlic, finely pounded
- 8 gcoriander root, finely pounded
- 1 gground white pepper
- 8 gcornstarch
Wrapping and frying
- 12 large leavespandan leaves
- 600 mlneutral oil for deep-frying
Sweet soy dipping sauce
- 20 mllight soy sauce
- 20 mldark sweet soy sauce
- 20 mlwater
- 12 gpalm sugar
- 5 mlrice vinegar
- 3 gtoasted sesame seeds
- 5 gred chili, finely sliced
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the pandan leaves and pat them dry. If the leaves are stiff, briefly bend and roll each one to soften without tearing; this makes wrapping much easier. Tie any torn ends into a loose knot if needed to test flexibility.
- 2
In a bowl, combine the chicken thigh with coconut milk, fish sauce, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, coriander root, white pepper, and cornstarch. Mix until every piece is evenly coated and slightly tacky. Let it stand for 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce; this short rest helps the aromatics penetrate and the cornstarch cling for a juicier fry.
- 3
Make the dipping sauce: put the light soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, water, palm sugar, rice vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced red chili into a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the sauce lightly thickens. Set aside; it should taste sweet-salty with a gentle tang.
- 4
Wrap the chicken parcels one by one: place a piece of marinated chicken near the lower third of a pandan leaf, fold the leaf over it, wrap snugly, then tuck or thread the end through the loop to secure. The parcel should be tight enough to hold its shape but not so tight that the leaf splits. Repeat with all chicken pieces.
- 5
Heat the neutral oil in a small deep pot or wok to 170-175 C. Fry the parcels in 2 batches for 4-5 minutes per batch, turning once or twice, until the pandan leaves darken, the chicken is cooked through, and the aroma becomes intensely fragrant. Do not overcrowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop. The chicken should reach 74 C at the center, or the juices should run clear when one parcel is opened.
- 6
Drain the fried parcels on a rack or paper towel for 1-2 minutes. Serve hot with the sweet soy dipping sauce on the side. Guests unwrap the pandan leaves before eating the chicken inside.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Chicken thigh is preferred over breast here because it stays juicy during frying and holds the classic tender texture.
- •If coriander root is unavailable, use 12 g coriander stems plus a small pinch of extra garlic, though the flavor will be slightly less authentic.
- •Keep the frying oil between 170 and 175 C for best results: too cool and the parcels absorb oil; too hot and the leaves scorch before the chicken cooks.
- •The pandan leaves are not eaten; they perfume the chicken while protecting it during frying.
- •Serve with cucumber slices or jasmine rice if you want to turn this into a light meal.
Background
Gai Hor Bai Toey is a classic Thai restaurant dish in which marinated chicken is wrapped in fragrant pandan leaves before frying. The technique highlights pandan's floral aroma and reflects the Thai balance of savory, sweet, and herbal flavors, often served with a sweet soy-based dipping sauce.
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