Chicken Satay with Homemade Peanut Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 8-16 or more chicken thighs, cut into small pieces or strips, or the equivalent of beef (enough for your family/party)
• 1 package wooden skewers
• optional garnish: 1 red chilli, sliced thinly
• SATAY MARINADE:
• 1/4 cup minced lemongrass, fresh or frozen (if using fresh, see below for instructions)
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 of thumb-size piece fresh turmeric, OR 1/2 tsp. dried turmeric
• 2 Tbsp. coriander seeds, ground (grind them yourself with a coffee grinder)
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 3 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 5 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

PREPARATION:

1. For complete instructions on how to buy and cook with lemongrass, go to: All About Lemongrass: Your Guide to Buying, Preparing, and Cooking with Lemongrass.
   
   
2. Cut chicken or beef into small, thin pieces or strips (small enough to easily skewer). Place in a bowl.
3. Place all marinade ingredients in a food processor (discard the upper stalk of lemongrass). Process well.
4. Taste test the marinade - you will taste sweet, spicy, and salty. The strongest taste should be SALTY in order for the finished satay to taste its best. Add 1 - 2 Tbsp. more fish sauce if you feel it needs more.
5. Add the marinade to the meat and stir well to combine. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, or longer (e.g. overnight).
6. When ready to barbecue, slide the pieces of meat onto the wooden skewers. TIP: Fill only the upper half of the skewer, leaving the lower half empty so that the person barbecuing has a "handle". This makes it easier to turn the satay during cooking.
7. Barbecue the satay, OR grill in the oven on a broiling pan with the oven set to "broil". Place satay close beneath the heating element and turn the meat every 5 minutes). Depending on how thin your meat is, the satay will cook in 10 to 20 minutes. Garnish with slices of fresh red chilli, if desired.
8. Serve with my Homemade Thai Peanut Sauce for dipping.

More Serving Suggestions:

• For an extra special treat, serve with Thai Coconut Rice
• For a well-balanced meal, serve with my Green Papaya Salad
• For drinks, satay goes down best with a cold lager.

Thai Chicken Wings Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 to 24 whole chicken wings (or buy them chopped into wings and drumlets) - Note: double the recipe for larger groups
• CHICKEN WING MARINADE:
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup liquid honey (1/2 cup if you have more than 12 wings)
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce or wheat-free tamari
• 2 tsp. dark soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp. chilli powder
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger, grated
• grated rind of 2 limes (limes are easier to grate when uncut - only grate the rind, not the white flesh underneath)
• 1-3 fresh red chillies, minced, OR 1-3 tsp. red chilli sauce (1=mild; 2=medium; 3 or more = hot wings)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp. coriander seeds, ground (you can grind them yourself in a coffee grinder, or buy already ground)
• GARNISH (optional):
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped

PREPARATION:

1. Make the marinade by combining all marinade ingredients together in a large mixing bowl (one that can accomodate all the wings).
2. Mix the wings in with the marinade, stirring well to coat the meat.
3. Allow wings to marinate while you warm up the oven or BBQ. Be sure to stir the wings occasionally. Make-ahead Tip: For even better flavor, allow the wings to marinate for several hours or overnight.
4. If Baking in the Oven: Turn oven to the grill setting and place wings on a broiling pan (a grill with a pan underneath to catch drippings). Place oven rack on highest level, so that wings will be directly under the top heating element of your oven. Slide the broiling pan onto this rack. Watch the wings carefully as they cook, turning every 5 minutes or so to make sure they don't burn. As with barbecued wings, baste the wings once or twice on each side with remaining marinade from the bottom of the mixing bowl.
5. If Barbecuing: Place wings on a hot grill on your barbecue. Baste with a brush once or twice on each side (with remaining marinade from the bottom of the bowl), or until the wings appear nice and sticky.
6. Cook until well done (15 to 30 minutes, depending on how hot your barbecue or oven is).
7. Serve wings hot with a little fresh coriander sprinkled overtop. If desired, serve with "Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce", available at most grocery stores or your local Asian store. These wings are good eaten alone, or serve them with white or brown rice and a salad for a complete and nourishing meal. Enjoy!

Greek Style Lemon Roast Chicken

1 whole roasting chicken (3-1/2 lb.)

Salt and black pepper

1 medium lemon, washed, halved

1/2 cup KRAFT Greek Vinaigrette Dressing

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Place in a 13x9-inch baking dish. SQUEEZE the juice from lemon and mix with dressing in a small bowl. Place the squeezed lemon halves inside the cavity of chicken. Drizzle dressing mixture over chicken. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of one of the chicken's thighs. BAKE 1-1/2 hours or until chicken is cooked through (reaches an internal temperature of 180°F), basting occasionally.