Dining

Michael’s Quick, Easy and Delish Dish for the Weekend

Thai Peanut-Tamarind Grilled Chicken

Grilled food in Thailand is a staple of their amazing street food found in every village and town throughout the country.

Peanut sauces and marinades are found in cuisines all over South East Asia. They are nowhere near sauces made here using peanut butter. It is a much more complex sauce using as one of its ingredients fresh unsalted peanuts. In addition to fresh peanuts other ingredients can include coconut milk, tamarind, lemongrass, galangal, soy sauce, garlic, chilies, cumin and coriander seeds etc.

It is definitely worth your while to prepare this traditional peanut sauce and marinade. It tastes so much better and goes great with shrimp and beef also……Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken pieces or chicken wings

MARINADE/SAUCE

  • 1 cup plain dry roasted or blanched peanuts (unsalted)
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 2 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Chinese/Asian food stores)
  • 1-2 fresh chilies, minced, OR 1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (reduce or omit for mild chicken)
  • 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste (available by the jar at Asian/Indian food stores)
  • 6 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. turmeric
  • 1/2 cup water

Preparation

  1. Make the marinade by placing all marinade ingredients together in a food processor or blender. Tip: try not to reduce the amount of sugar, as it is needed to balanace out the sourness of the tamarind.
  2. Process well to form a peanut sauce. The sauce should be both sweet and sour, plus spicy (if you added chili or cayenne) and a little on the salty side. Once the chicken is grilled, these flavors will mellow nicely.
  1. Place chicken in a large bowl and pour half the peanut sauce over. Set remaining sauce aside for later.
  2. Stir the sauce/marinade well into the chicken, until the chicken pieces begin to take on a golden coloring (this is from the turmeric and is extremely healthy).
  3. Set chicken in the refrigerator and allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes (or longer if you have the time – up to 24 hours).
  4. Grill/barbecue the chicken, basting it the first time or two that you turn it using any leftover marinade from the bottom of the bowl. Chicken is well done when the flesh near the bone is no longer red and juices run clear.
  5. Before serving, place remaining peanut sauce in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup water and stir until the sauce is hot (it does not need to be cooked). Note that this sauce tends to thicken with time, hence the need for extra water (If you save some for the following day, you will have to add more water again).
  6. Taste-test the sauce. I usually add 1/2 to 1 Tbsp. soy sauce (instead of salt). If you prefer it sweeter or spicier, add a little more sugar or cayenne pepper. If it tastes too salty for you, add a squeeze or two of lime or lemon juice.
  1. Serve the grilled chicken together with the sauce, either spooning the sauce over as you eat, or using it as a dipping sauce (a little goes a long way). Excellent with Thai  jasmine-scented rice, or with potatoes or salad as desired. …..ENJOY!

 

Original recipe and image courtesy of www.thaifood.about.com

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