Instructions: Heat the oils together in a small saucepan.

Add the chillies garlic cumin seeds fennel seeds basil and turmeric and fry gently for 4 to 5 minutes taking care not to burn. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Stir well and return to the heat to dissolve the sugar a thick marinade is formed.

Leave to cool.

Slash through the chicken skin and into the breast meat.

Put the chicken into a nonmetal dish and smear the chicken with the marinade. Cover and chill for 8 hours or overnight. Put the grill rack inside the roasting tin and lay the chicken pieces on it.

Slide the tin onto the second set of runners in the roasting oven and grill for 15 to 20 minutes.

Turn over and repeat.

Serve immediately with fragrant thai rice (qv) or chill and serve sliced with salads.

Serve this chicken hot from the oven with fragrant thai rice or cold with a salad. If serving cold the chicken is best sliced after cooking. Marinate overnight for a full flavour. Shallot chutney (qv) is a good accompaniment whether hot or cold.

Serves 4

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