Barbecued Lemongrass Chicken
If you plan to barbecue for your family gathering this Memorial Day weekend and would like to add a Thai touch to your menu, I have a delicious recipe for you. This month’s recipe is one that I make frequently, whether it is a holiday or not, after all Miami has beautiful weather all year round which is perfect for outdoor cooking parties.
In Thailand, this dish can be found everywhere. Thai eat this with sticky rice and spicy sauce. Recipes vary from regions. I love this recipe of the central Thailand because of its fresh herbs, aroma and delicately blended yet flavorful taste. It is simple to make and the ingredients can be found locally. Many supermarkets such as Publix or Whole Food carry these products.
It is best when served with salad on the side or white rice. This grilled chicken is also good for sandwiches—simply add lettuce, slice tomato and ketchup.
Ingredients
2 lbs chicken with skin on (either breast, whole, legs or wings—pick your favorite part), I will explain the benefit of the skin under the grilling.
4 large garlic cloves
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 stalk of lemon grass sliced thinly crosswise
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon fish sauce (thin soy sauce is a good substitute, but please not Kikoman, it will change the flavor of this Thai dish completely)
1 teaspoon whole white pepper (add a few more for spicy taste bud). This spice is one of the staple ingredients in Thai cooking.
Ingredients for Sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup water
1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 small red fresh chilies, finely chopped
1 large garlic cloves finely chopped
Preparation
Chicken is prepared in advance. 15-20 minutes to finish with two hours marinate time.
In a food processor, blend garlic and lemon grass, aim for a harmonious blend. (I usually use mortar and pestle. It is a bit hard work but it is quite a stress reliever. You may want to try if you happen to have them in the household.) Remove the mixture to a bowl and add the freshly ground white pepper, sea salt, fish sauce and chopped cilantro. Whisk together until all ingredients are well blended. Rub the mixture over chicken, make sure that it is coated well. Put in a bowl, cover and leave in a refrigerator for at least two hours.
Sauce
Put sugar, vinegar and salt in a saucepan and heat, stir until sugar dissolves. Add chilies and garlic and water, stir well and simmer until it becomes thin syrup.
A piece of red bell pepper finely chopped is a good substitute for chilies if prefer. I sometime use a pinch of dried chilies—the type we put in our pizza, when I do not have fresh chilies on hand.
Grilling
Epicurous.com/video provides helpful information for grilling preparation, just click on the “grilling” section under “technique videos”.
Grilling chicken over low, medium or medium-high heat is depended on the cut. The thicker the cut the lower the heat should be. You do not want the meat’s exterior to burn and the interior is not cooked.
When grilling, the chicken skin plays a very important. Fat underneath the skin helps prevent the cooking meat from drying out. Flare-ups will occur as a result of fat dripping onto the coals or gas flame. It is inevitable but it can be managed by moving the meat to the other part of the grill or flip over the meat frequently.
If you are concerned about saturated fat, discard the skin after the chicken is well cooked.
