Spicy Grilled Chicken
No one does grilled chicken better than in Southeast Asia, where it seems to come straight from heaven. The key ingredients were all exotic and hard to find here just ten years ago, but now you can make this routinely. Once you try it, you probably will. This is wonderful teamed with Sticky Rice (page 508) and Green Papaya Salad (page 174). But it’s fine with any rice dish and vegetable, too, because it is really a star.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
If you have fresh chiles, stem and seed them; if dried, soak in warm water for a few minutes until softened, then remove the stems and seeds. Place them, along with the garlic, ginger, tamarind paste, sugar, and coconut milk, in a food processor or blender. Process until the ingredients have broken down and the mixture is well combined. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Cool a bit, then make a series of angular slashes in the chicken parts—two or three per part—and spread about half of the sauce on the chicken and into the slashes. (You can let the chicken rest, refrigerated, for an hour or two at this point.)
Step 2
Meanwhile, start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill or broiler. The fire should be only moderately hot, and the rack should be at least 6 inches from the heat source. You want to grill the chicken fairly slowly.
Step 3
If you’re broiling, spread a tablespoon or so of the sauce on a nonstick broiling or baking pan; place the chicken pieces on top and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Broil or grill the chicken, turning and basting frequently with the sauce, until nicely browned all over and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Brush once more with the sauce and serve hot or at room temperature with the lemon or lime wedges.
Soy Barbecued Chicken
Step 4
Substitute 1/2 cup Sweet Garlic Soy Sauce (page 590) for the tamarind paste and coconut milk.
Thai Barbecued Chicken
Step 5
Omit the chiles and tamarind and use only half the amount of coconut milk. Add 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed (page 143) and roughly chopped, 6 fresh cilantro sprigs, 2 teaspoons ground turmeric, and 2 tablespoons nam pla to the sauce. Process the sauce well—the lemongrass will never become completely smooth, but don’t worry about it—and proceed as directed.
