Gai Yang & Yum Tang Gwa (Thai Style Grilled Chicken & Cucumber Salad)Print Recipe

When I was growing up in Australia, almost every major city had a Chinatown and every large country town had a Chinese restaurant. When you went out for dinner it was for Chinese (more specifically Cantonese) and not much else. The food scene back then was a little limiting which was strange considering Australia was such a melting pot of nationalities. It wasn’t until the mid 80’s that Thai fever took over and now the number of Thai restaurants in Australia is quite extraordinary.

If you have been luckily enough to get to some of the really good ones in Sydney; Longrain, Sailors Thai or Spice Market, (to name a few of my favourites), you would have encountered dishes that are as authentic as they are innovative with flavours that are fresh and distinct.

This Thai Style Grilled Chicken comes from Sailors Thai, it is traditionally served with a Green Papaya Salad but I couldn’t get my hands on half the ingredients (namely the green papaya) so I created a little cucumber salad with some Thai flavours that I love (and it was easy to put together from ingredients I already owned).

I will eventually get my act together and search this big city for some decent Thai ingredients, and when I find them you will be treated to many more sensational recipes. Australian’s seem to have a knack for amazing Thai dishes and it is only fair that I share some of those recipes with you.

Ingredients
¼ cup lemongrass, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons turmeric
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
pinch white pepper
2 tablespoons coriander root, finely chopped
1 whole chicken butterflied

Using a mortar and pestle, pound garlic, turmeric, lemongrass and coriander root into a paste. Add fish sauce, oyster and soy sauces, sugar and pepper and set aside. (blending this mixture can also be done in a food processor)

Wash and dry the chicken, rub in the marinade ensuring that you get it in every possible crevise, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to marinate for at least two hours.

Place your grill on high and grill chicken until the chicken is cooked, you may need to cover with foil halfway through the process so the chicken doesn’t get overly burnt. (You can also cook the chicken on your barbeque – it is perfect cooked over charcoal.)

Serve with sweet chilli sauce, cucumber salad and coconut rice.

Thai Cucumber Salad

Ingredients
3 large cucumbers, about 3 cups (I use Lebanese Cucumbers)
1/4 cup Vietnamese Mint, roughly chopped
1/4 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves, roughly chopped

Dressing
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons of palm sugar (or substitute with white sugar)
1 small chili, finely chopped (or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes)
to serve: chopped peanuts

To make the dressing, place all ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, set aside and bring to room temperature.

Peel the cucumbers and shave them lengthways with a vegetable peeler to create ribbon like strands. Place them in a bowl with the mint and coriander, pour over the dressing and toss gently with a fork to combine. Scatter with chopped peanuts and serve.

Notes: The cucumber salad is best made directly before serving.

Source: Thai Style Grilled Chicken from Peter Bower, Sailors Thai via Julia Enders

© 2011, Michelle. All rights reserved.