Pieces of marinated chicken thigh wrapped in pandan leaves and deep-fried (or grilled) — the pandan leaves charring slightly at the edges, their aromatic compound (2-acetyl-1-pyrroline) absorbing into the chicken surface during cooking, and the leaves providing both protection from direct heat and a visual presentation element. Gai hor bai toey is one of the preparations that most elegantly demonstrates the Thai kitchen's use of leaf-wrapping as both an aromatic and a cooking technique.
**The marinade:** - Coconut milk, garlic, coriander root, palm sugar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, white pepper. - Marinate for minimum 2 hours; overnight produces better penetration. **The wrapping:** - Pandan leaves: long, fresh leaves, flexible enough to fold without breaking. - Wrap each piece of chicken in a single pandan leaf, securing the wrap with a toothpick. - The wrap is tight — the pandan leaf should contact the chicken surface throughout. **Deep frying:** - 170°C, 6–8 minutes — low enough to cook the chicken through without burning the leaf. - The leaf will char slightly at the edges — this is correct. The charred pandan provides a smoky-aromatic note. **At service:** - The pandan leaf is removed before eating — it is an aromatic wrapper, not a food. Decisive moment: The oil temperature — 170°C, not higher. At this temperature, the pandan leaf chars gradually at its edges over 6–8 minutes while the chicken cooks inside its protection. At 190°C: the leaf burns completely and the chicken dries before the pandan has time to transfer its aromatic character.
*Thai Food* (2002); *Thai Street Food* (2010)