Basil Chicken Roast

I love the Herbs.......yes I said it with a cheap reference to weed. This post has nothing to do with that "herb" or Erb! (with accent) but everything to do with the type that is used for cooking. The herb that shall be used in this recipe is Basil. I simply love the flavour, freshness and aroma of the plant and the way the flavours rubs onto your hands.

Sometimes I pretend to be Italian and order a basil pesto pasta  (I'm not too certain if basil pesto or even the pasta is Italian, I have to question the norms because it might not be true), this is a nice dish but quite stingy on the amount of fresh herb used. In a way this is like the achaar used in Indian dishes and the stinginess to which it is used. Pesto to Italians is like achaar to Indians. The theory seems a little stretched.

That is one of the advantages staying in Pretoria, there is the Boremark where I get to visit once a week and get exceptional value in terms of quality vs quantity vs cost. When all 3 items are high there must be a catch and there is, you have to be at the Boremark early on a Saturday morning, preferable between 530am and 7am, to take advantage, this is a middleman free zone. Straight from the farmer to you.

This recipe infuses all the flavour of the basil into a roast chicken. That fresh aromatic herb in a chicken and better still the chicken juices at the bottom also give off that sort of aroma. Soo so good.

Ingredients
1 Bunch Basil (bunch again is at the discretion of the farmer but a more accurate term could be 1 cup diced product)
1 Sprig Curry Leaves (at the discretion of the tree you pick the sprig from)
4 Cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp Ginger
2 tsp Coconut Oil
1,5 tsp Salt
1 Red Onion
1 Chicken

Method
Blend Basil, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, salt and coconut oil until you get a paste
Insert paste between chicken skin and meat
Insert onion into the bird orifice
Place in baking pan or oven container and cook on medium heat (150 Deg C) for 1 to 1.5 hrs
I personally prefer placing chicken on raised stand within oven so that the bird becomes crispy all around

Serves well with butternut chips

Enjoy!