Food - Drink
Gai Yang: The Thai Grilled Chicken That Will Ignite Your Taste Buds
By KATIE HORST
There are many kinds of barbecued chicken the world over, but nothing will get your taste buds as excited as making Thailand’s famous street food — gai yang. The incredible flavor of gai yang comes from soaking the chicken for 12 hours in a marinade that’s packed with punchy, vibrant ingredients.
Traditionally, gai yang is made with small Thai hens that weigh around 1 to 3 pounds, but Cornish hens work just as well. Butterfly the chicken and skewer it the whole way through so it lays flat and is easy to flip on the grill for a crispy skin; you can also skewer smaller cuts, preferably with the skin intact.
The marinade includes cilantro root — usually found in Asian grocery stores, but cilantro stems work, too — the inner yellow and white parts of lemongrass, and lots of mashed garlic, which are then combined with sugar and fish sauce. Once grilled, enjoy your gai yang with a side of spicy peanut sauce.