Thai Roadside Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Chicken:
3-4 lb Chicken – cut up into 8 pieces
2 tsp Black Peppercorns
6 Garlic Cloves – roughly chopped
3 Tbsp Cilantro Roots & Stems – roughly chopped
3 Tbsp Fish Sauce
Ingredients for the dipping sauce:
1/2 Cider or Rice Vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Clove Garlic – minced
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Chile Pepper Flakes
Directions
For the chicken, pound the peppercorns, garlic and cilantro roots into a paste with a mortar and pestle, add the fish sauce and blend it in.
Smear this mixture all over the chicken pieces, then place them in an airtight container. Chill for several hours turning and re-smearing (is that a word?) occasionally.
For the dipping sauce, bring the vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Simmer 5 minutes. Work the garlic and salt into a paste using the back of a knife or a mortar and pestle. Combine the garlic paste with the chile pepper flakes and vinegar. Set aside to cool.
When ready to cook the chicken, remove the chicken from the fridge about 1/2 hour prior to cooking while you prepare a charcoal fire. When the coals are hot, place the chicken on the grill bone side down for about 8 minutes.
Turn and cook the other side until the chicken is cooked through, 6-8 minutes or until 165°F on a meat thermometer.
Serve with the dipping sauce and sticky rice…eat with your fingers.
