Gai Yang (Isan-Style Thai Grilled Chicken)

Method

1. Make the marinade. Peel 1–2 tough outer layers off the lemongrass and thinly slice only the pale, tender lower part. Pound the garlic, coriander stems and roots, lemongrass and white pepper in a mortar to a coarse paste (or chop very finely with a knife). Transfer to a bowl and stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, palm sugar and oil until the sugar dissolves.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves 5Coriander stems and roots 10 gLemongrass stalk 1White pepper (ground or crushed peppercorns) 1 tspFish sauce (marinade) 1½ tbspLight soy sauce 1 tbspOyster sauce 1 tbspPalm sugar or light brown sugar (marinade) 2 tspVegetable oil 1 tbsp

2. Pat the chicken dry and cut 2–3 deep slashes down to the bone in the thickest parts. Rub the marinade all over and into the cuts, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 h; overnight is even better.

   Add in this stepBone-in chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks) 600 g

3. Make the khao khua (toasted rice powder). Put the uncooked sticky rice in a small dry pan on medium-low heat and keep shaking it for 5 min, until deep golden and nutty-smelling. Tip onto a plate to cool, then grind in a mortar or spice grinder to coarse sand.

   Add in this stepUncooked glutinous (sticky) rice, for khao khua 1½ tbsp

   medium-low heat

4. Preheat the oven to 230 °C and take the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Set a rack over a foil-lined 20×30 cm tray and lay the chicken on it skin side up, keeping any leftover marinade. Roast (oven) for 35 min, brushing once with the leftover marinade halfway through. It is done when the juices run clear from the thickest part and it reads at least 75 °C near the bone.

   oven

5. While it roasts, make the jaew. In a bowl, stir the fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind paste and palm sugar until the sugar dissolves, then add the chilli flakes, thinly sliced shallot, sliced spring onion and 1–2 tablespoons of khao khua. Taste and balance salty, sour and hot.

   Add in this stepFish sauce (jaew) 1½ tbspLime, for juice 1Tamarind paste 1 tspPalm sugar or light brown sugar (jaew) 1 tspCoarse dried chilli flakes 1 tspShallot 1Spring onion or coriander leaves 1

6. Finally raise the oven to 250 °C (or switch on the top grill) and cook (oven) for 3 min more to char the skin at the edges; watch closely, it burns fast. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, cut into pieces and serve with the jaew, sticky rice and raw vegetables.

   oven