Street Vendor Issan-style Grilled Chicken

[ForeignDevil]

I absolutely can't get enough of this stuff when I'm in Bangkok

can anyone help with a recipe?

have tried lots of variations at home with marinades of nam pla, lime and sugar grilled over coconut husks but can't seem to match what I get in LOS

Thanks

Edited December 29, 2006 by ForeignDevil

[Jai Dee]

You have to start the fire with a bit of tyre rubber to get that thick black smoke thing happening...

[Farma]

Do a search for Thai Barbeque Chicken on templeofthai.com they have a copyright recipe for it there.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Is it a good recipe?

[Farma]

No idea, but the ingredients look the same as my ex used when she made it.

She also added coffeemate in the marinade as it supposedly seals in the juices.

Edited December 29, 2006 by Farma

[ForeignDevil]

Thanks Farma

I'll try it out this weekend

[realthaideal]

I'm pretty sure Bambina chimed in with a recipe for this earlier on another Thai food thread, so you might do to poke around in the food archives a bit.

My thoughts on this are that, much like a stew, or Western BBQ, Gai Yaang has as many varieties as it does cooks. Everyone has their own regional, family, or personal recipe. In addition to what you name, I suggest you add, if you like, some garlic, crushed coriander seeds, cane sugar, or black pepper. I've had all these variations. I also suggest you taste your marinade before you throw the chicken in it. It should be stronger than you would want in a sauce you add to cooked food. This is because it has to have the right concentration to penetrate and season the meat properly. Then, when you grill, do like the Thais do, and cook very slowly and long over med to low coals. The yaang process is not a quick one. If you notice they cook meat so it's not tender and juicy. Certainly not juice. In many cases just shy of jerky. But of course that keeps away the chances of food poisoning. One guy I know is always piercing his with a fork as it cooks to let out all the precious juices ! Heresy when you consider how in Western foods we try to sear and seal in all the juices we can get.

[NamKAheng]

You can try every recipe you want it would never taste the same if you are not in Thailand and that's because of the charcoal they are using.

Did you notice the smell of that charcoal everywherw when you were in Thailand? You can't find that kind of charcoal in farangland and it's a big part of the taste of the Isaan chicken barbecue.

[ForeignDevil]

thanks realthaideal and everyone else for the suggestions

tried Kasma's thai bbq chicken recipe off of templeofthai.com (great web site) the other day

low and slow on an outdoor charcoal grill in -7C heat here in Sunny New England and found the result a bit too sharp in the taste of raw garlic and shallot

will try out Supatra's thai chicken next as soon as I get another nice warm day

so this is still a work in progress

will also try my own variation with just nam pla, palm sugar and oyster sauce

if that fails I'll try the tyre rubber

you're right about the coals, NamKAheng

is it cocunut husks they are using?

[NamKAheng]

you're right about the coals, NamKAheng

is it cocunut husks they are using?

No they are not using coconut husk.

I saw how they are doing the charcoal and they took wood and the best charcoal is done with root. They put the wood in a trench and set the fire. When the fire spread evenly they put the soil back in the trench and they let the slow burning go for many hours. Aftr letting it cool down they dig out the charcoal.

[phibunmike]

you're right about the coals, NamKAheng

is it cocunut husks they are using?

No they are not using coconut husk.

I saw how they are doing the charcoal and they took wood and the best charcoal is done with root. They put the wood in a trench and set the fire. When the fire spread evenly they put the soil back in the trench and they let the slow burning go for many hours. Aftr letting it cool down they dig out the charcoal.

Around here (Ubon) the charcoal is made in domes (like igloos) of mud. I believe the principal is to starve the fire of oxygen once it is established.

[jazzbo]

Most Thai charcoal is made from old rubber trees.

Found this on the web:

Rubber wood makes excellent charcoal which lights quickly and burns hot and long.

Old rubber trees, past their prime in latex production, are sold on for timber and charcoal. Khun Wichai’s boss buys the rubber trees and has them delivered to his charcoal-manufacturing site. Larger trees are sold for timber and the smaller trunks are left for charcoal. Rubber wood makes for a heavy charcoal that burns hot and long and leaves little ash. The residual latex in the wood adds value to the charcoal making it easier to light.

http://www.geocities.com/~nesst/charcoal.htm (photos)

[NamKAheng]

Great link jazzbo!

Thanks

[toptuan]

Most Thai charcoal is made from old rubber trees.

Found this on the web:

Rubber wood makes excellent charcoal which lights quickly and burns hot and long.

Old rubber trees, past their prime in latex production, are sold on for timber and charcoal. Khun Wichai’s boss buys the rubber trees and has them delivered to his charcoal-manufacturing site. Larger trees are sold for timber and the smaller trunks are left for charcoal. Rubber wood makes for a heavy charcoal that burns hot and long and leaves little ash. The residual latex in the wood adds value to the charcoal making it easier to light.

http://www.geocities.com/~nesst/charcoal.htm (photos)

Ah, so there WAS some truth to the second poster's comment!

[jazzbo]

Thanks, NamKAheng. You made my day. I'm stuck in the hospital for a week with a re-built knee, but with a wi-fi connection...thus the many posts. Before this, 26 posts in 3 years. Sometimes a nice response, sometimes a put-down, usually just a plain snub...nice to find a gentleman in these parts.

[dee123]

my dear wifes does a event catering trailer in the u.k....www.spicythai.co.uk........lumpwood charcoal is what she buys here.....tastes great.....as in thai!