Gai Yang Recipe
- 3 pounds whole chicken breast or combination of breast and legs
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, ground with a mortar and pestle or in an electric coffee/spice grinder
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped well-washed coriander roots (from about 2 bunches), minces
- 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (preferably naam pla)
- 1 cup well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
- Accompaniment:Thai Sticky Rice andHot and Sweet Dipping Sauce
- With a cleaver or poultry shears halve chicken breasts and cut each half crosswise into 4 pieces. If using chicken legs, cut each leg into 2 pieces, drumstick and thigh. (You may instead ask your butcher to cut up the chicken.)
- With a mortar and pestle or in a small food processor pound or blend peppercorns and garlic with a pinch salt to a smooth paste. Add coriander roots and pound or blend to a paste. In a large bowl stir together coriander paste, fish sauce, and coconut milk. Add chicken and turn to coat well with marinade. Marinate chicken, covered, at room temperature 45 minutes.
- Prepare grill (or preheat broiler).
- Grill chicken, skin sides down, on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Brush top of chicken lightly with marinade, discarding any remaining marinade, and turn chicken. Grill chicken until just cooked through and juices run clear, 7 to 10 minutes more. (Alternatively, chicken may be broiled in same manner on lightly oiled rack of a large broiler pan about 4 to 6 inches from heat.)
- Serve chicken with dipping sauce and rice.
