Gochujang-Panca Chicken Anticuchos in Lettuce Wraps (Peruvian × Korean)

Method

1. Cut the chicken thighs into 3 cm pieces, slitting any thick parts so they are an even thickness. In a bowl, mix the panca paste, gochujang, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, honey, cumin and sesame oil, add the chicken, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for 30 min. Soak bamboo skewers in water meanwhile.

   Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs 300 gAjí panca paste 1 tbspGochujang (Korean chilli paste) 1 tbspSoy sauce 2 tspRice vinegar 2 tspGarlic cloves, grated 2Fresh ginger, grated 5 gHoney 2 tspGround cumin ½ tspToasted sesame oil 1 tsp

2. Wash the lettuce and perilla leaves and shake or spin them completely dry. Slice the spring onions into very thin strips and soak them in cold water for 5 minutes; this tames their bite and makes them crisp.

   Add in this stepLettuce or romaine leaves 8Perilla leaves 4Spring onions 1

3. Thread about 4 pieces of chicken onto each skewer. Keep the marinade left in the bowl for glazing at the end.

   Add in this stepSkewers (bamboo or metal) 4

4. Heat a grill pan or frying pan on medium heat, brush it lightly with the oil and grill the skewers in 1 batch(es) for 10 min per batch, turning every 2 minutes. Gochujang and honey burn easily, so don't use high heat. In the last 2 minutes, brush on the leftover marinade and cook 1 minute per side so it cooks through. They are done when the thickest piece shows no pink and the juices run clear (75 °C in the centre).

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tsp

   medium heat

5. Scatter the sesame seeds and the drained spring onion strips over the hot skewers.

   Add in this stepToasted sesame seeds 1 tsp

6. To eat, lay a perilla leaf on a lettuce leaf, add chicken pulled off the skewer and some spring onion, and fold it into a one-bite parcel.