author: willandleah
created: 2005-02-03 03:02:58
servings: 4
notes:
Leah makes me make this at least once a week. Recipe from Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford's Hot Sour Salty Sweet. Just the best...
recipe:
Note to Americans: Coriander = Cilantro. Pepper-Coriander Root Flavor Paste 2 teaspoons black peppercorns 6 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 3 tablespoons chopped coriander roots (honestly, I've never found anything called "Coriander Roots" so I just get a bunch of coriander and chop that up, with an emphasis on the rooty bits.) Pinch of salt 1 teaspoon fish sauce Pound the garlic and peppercorns to a paste in a mortar. Add the coriander roots and salt and pound to a paste. Stir in fish sauce. You could, of course, be a wimp and use one of those spice grinders to do this, but you will look much more impressive using a mortar and pestle, and build upper body strength as well. Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce 1/2 cup rice vinegar 1/2 cup sugar 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes Place the vinegar in a small nonreactive saucepan and heat to a boil. Add the sugar, stirring until completely dissolved, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Pound the garlic and salt to a smooth paste in a mortar (see note regarding mortars vs. wimpy spice grinders above). Remove vinegar sugar mixture from the heat and stir in the garlic paste. Let cool to room temprature. Chicken 3 pounds chicken breasts or chicken breasts and legs, chopped into 10-12 pieces. Personally I've had better luck just sticking with the breasts - they cook faster and more consistently. Turn chicken pieces in pepper-coriander root paste. Let stand, covered, for about an hour, or three hours refrigerated. Heat a grill or preheat the broiler. If using a grill, place chicken 4-5 inches from the flame, bone side down, and grill until the bottom side is starting to brown. Then turn over and cook until golden brown on the other side and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced. If using a broiler, put the ckicken in a lightly oiled broiling pan, bone side up, 4 -6 inches from the broiler element, and cook for 8 - 10 minutes, or until the chicken is starting to brown. Turn the pieces over and broil for another 8 minutes, or until the juices run clear. Transfer the chicken pieces to a platter and serve with the dipping sauce and plenty of sticky rice.