Spice Bag Tray Bake
If you’re Irish, you’ll know all about the legendary spice bag. But if you’re not from Ireland, let me give you a quick rundown. A spice bag is a magical combination of chips, crispy chicken and veg, all tossed in a secret blend of spices and served in a paper bag in takeaways. The spice mix is what makes it so epic.
Serves 4
2 or 3 large Maris Piper potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 red peppers
2 green peppers
2 white onions
For the spice mix:
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
a pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
For the crispy chicken:
3 chicken fillets
170g ground almonds
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 eggs
To serve:
a few sprigs of fresh coriander
satay sauce (page 152)
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C for a conventional oven or 180°C for a fan oven.
2. Line two large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
3. To make the spice mix, put all the spices in a small bowl and mix together.
4. Wash the potatoes and leave the skins on. Cut them in half, then slice them into thick rectangular chips. Rinse the chips in a colander under cold running water for 1 minute to remove the starch – this will give you crispier chips.
5. Pat the chips dry with kitchen paper, then put them on one of the lined baking trays. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, then add a pinch of the spice mix. Use your clean hands to toss together until all the chips are coated in oil and spices.
6. Cut the peppers and onions into slices.
7. Put the peppers and onions on one half of the second lined tray, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle over the rest of the spice mix. Use your clean hands to toss everything together to coat the veg in the oil and spices.
8. To prepare the chicken, use clean kitchen scissors to cut the chicken fillets into strips 2cm wide. Put the strips on a plate.
9. Get two wide, shallow bowls. Put the ground almonds, paprika, salt and pepper in the first bowl and mix them together.
10. Crack the eggs into the second bowl, then whisk them with a fork.
11. Working with one chicken strip at a time, dip it into the beaten eggs, then into the ground almond mix, making sure it’s completely coated. Put the coated chicken on the tray with the peppers and onions. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
12. Put both trays in the preheated oven and cook for 40 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked (see page 10), the peppers and onions are soft and the chips are golden brown.
13. To serve, put two potholders or clean tea towels in the middle of the table and put the trays on top. Pick the coriander leaves off the stems and scatter them over the trays. Put a bowl of satay sauce on the side and let everyone dig in and help themselves, but serve yourself before your siblings or they will devour it all!
From Now You’re Cooking! by Jolene and Lily Mae Cox (Nine Bean Rows)
