These could easily be a snack to enjoy with drinks but I usually serve them at a barbecue. They take so little time to cook, making them a very handy starter while the rest of the serious barbecuing goes on. They can also be made with chicken wings rather than cutting up chicken thighs, but whatever you decide they are definitely finger food so serviettes are essential.
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 coriander roots, well rinsed
- 30 g fresh bright turmeric, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 lemongrass stalks, pale ends only, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 10 g palm sugar, grated
- 4 x 200 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2–3 cm wide strips
- Sea salt flakes
Yoghurt Dip
- 150 g natural probiotic yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons hulled tahini
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
How to Make It
- Using a mortar and pestle or small blender, grind the peppercorns, garlic, coriander roots, turmeric and lemongrass until a paste forms. Add the fish sauce and palm sugar and stir until well combined. Place the chicken and spice paste in an airtight container, toss to coat well, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Soak 16 bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes so they don’t burn during cooking.
- Preheat a barbecue flat plate to high.
- Thread the chicken onto the soaked skewers. Place the skewers on the lightly oiled barbecue and season with salt. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, to make the yoghurt dip, whisk all the ingredients together until smooth and well combined.
- Serve the chicken skewers with the yoghurt dip on the side.
